Vasodilator Responses of Perivascular Adipose Tissue-Derived Hydrogen Sulfide Stimulated with L-Cysteine in Pregnancy Hypertension-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction in Rats

Figures

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  Figure 1. Systolic blood pressure in Non-Preg, Non-Preg+DOCA, Preg, and Preg+DOCA groups. Values are means ± SEM. Symbols indicate significant differences (* p < 0.05) in the Preg+DOCA group versus the respective baseline.

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  Figure 2. Fetal weight (A), total number of pups (litter size, (B)), and placental weight (C) of the Preg and Preg+DOCA groups. Values are means ± SEM. Symbols indicate significant differences (* p < 0.05) versus Preg group.

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  Figure 3. Levels of anti-angiogenic (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1: sFlt-1) and angiogenic (placental growth factor: PlGF) factors in plasma. sFlt-1/PlGF ratio (A), plasma levels of PlGF (B), and sFlt-1 (C) in Non-Preg, Non-Preg+DOCA, Preg, and Preg+DOCA groups. Values are means ± SEM. Symbols indicate significant differences (* p < 0.05) versus Preg group.

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  Figure 4. Plasma level determinants of H2S (A), NO (B), and oxidative stress (C) in Non-Preg, Non-Preg+DOCA, Preg, and Preg+DOCA groups. Values are means ± SEM. Symbols indicate significant differences (* p < 0.05) versus Non-Preg and Non-Preg+DOCA groups (A); # p < 0.05 versus Preg group (A); * p < 0.05 versus other groups (B), and * p < 0.05 versus Non-Preg and Non-Preg+DOCA groups (C).

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  Figure 5. Level determinants of H2S in PVAT (A) and aorta without PVAT (B) from Non-Preg, Non-Preg+DOCA, Preg, and Preg+DOCA groups. Level determinants of H2S in the placenta of the Preg and Preg+DOCA groups. Values are means ± SEM. Symbols indicate significant differences (* p < 0.05) versus other groups (A) and * p < 0.05 versus Preg group (C).

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  Figure 6. Concentration-dependent vasodilation responses to L-cysteine, after pre-incubation with PLP and pre-contracted with phenylephrine, in thoracic aortic rings with intact PVAT and endothelium (+PVAT+E), intact PVAT and endothelium removed (+PVAT−E), PVAT removed and intact endothelium (−PVAT+E), and both PVAT and endothelium removed (−PVAT−E) from Non-Preg group (A), Non-Preg+DOCA group (B), Preg group (C), and Preg+DOCA group (D). Values are means ± SEM. Symbols indicate significant differences (* p < 0.05) versus the respective aortic rings −PVAT−E (A–C); significant differences (* p < 0.05) versus the respective aortic rings −PVAT+E and −PVAT−E (Figure 6D).

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  Figure 7. Concentration-dependent responses to L-cysteine, after pre-incubation with PLP and CSE inhibitor (PAG), and pre-contracted with phenylephrine, in thoracic aortic rings with intact PVAT and endothelium (+PVAT+E), intact PVAT and endothelium removed (+PVAT−E), PVAT removed and intact endothelium (−PVAT+E), and both PVAT and endothelium removed (−PVAT−E) from Non-Preg group (A), Non-Preg+DOCA group (B), Preg group (C), and Preg+DOCA group (D). Values are means ± SEM. Symbol (*) indicates significant differences (* p < 0.05) for aortic rings +PVAT+E and +PVAT−E versus the respective aortic ring −PVAT+E (Figure 7D).

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  Figure 8. Concentration-dependent vasodilation responses to acetylcholine, after pre-contracted with phenylephrine, in thoracic aortic rings with intact PVAT and endothelium (+PVAT+E), intact PVAT and endothelium removed (+PVAT−E), PVAT removed and intact endothelium (−PVAT+E), and both PVAT and endothelium removed (−PVAT−E) from Non-Preg group (A), Non-Preg+DOCA group (B), Preg group (C), and Preg+DOCA group (D). Values are means ± SEM. Symbols indicate significant differences (* p < 0.05) versus the respective aortic rings +PVAT−E and −PVAT−E (A–D).

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  Figure 9. Concentration-dependent vasodilation responses to acetylcholine, after pre-incubation with NO synthase inhibitor (L-NAME) and pre-contracted with phenylephrine, in thoracic aortic rings with intact PVAT and endothelium (+PVAT+E), intact PVAT and endothelium removed (+PVAT−E), PVAT removed and intact endothelium (−PVAT+E), and both PVAT and endothelium removed (−PVAT−E) from Non-Preg group (A), Non-Preg+DOCA group (B), Preg group (C), and Preg+DOCA group (D). Values are means ± SEM.

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  Figure 10. Cumulative concentration responses to phenylephrine after pre-incubation with cofactor (PLP) and substrate (L-cysteine) for H2S synthesis in thoracic aortic rings with intact PVAT and endothelium (+PVAT+E), intact PVAT and endothelium removed (+PVAT−E), PVAT removed and intact endothelium (−PVAT+E), and both PVAT and endothelium removed (−PVAT−E) from Non-Preg group (A), Non-Preg+DOCA group (B), Preg group (C), and Preg+DOCA group (D). Values are means ± SEM. Symbols indicate significant differences (* p < 0.05) versus the respective response in aortic rings −PVAT−E (C); * p < 0.05 versus the respective response in aortic rings −PVAT+E and −PVAT−E (D).