Moderate chronic aortic constriction induces modest, sex-specific effects on rat hearts and skeletal muscle

Figures

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  Fig. 1. Male, but not female, rat heart mass and size increase following transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Absolute heart mass (A), left ventricular width (C), septal width (E), and aortic arch diameter in excised hearts after 40 weeks of progressive pressure-overload in male and female TAC and Sham rats. Values are also reported relative to body mass (B, D, F). Data are represented as means ± SD. Because tissue mass and body mass do not scale linearly, independent t-tests were used to compare TAC and Sham within sexes. n = 17 M TAC, n = 15 M Sham, n = 11 F TAC, n = 12 F Sham. Abbreviations: transverse aortic constriction (TAC), left ventricle (LV).

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  Fig. 2. Both male and female TAC rats have preserved cardiac fractional shortening and ejection fractions. An echocardiogram was performed at 40 weeks post-surgery in male and female TAC and Sham rats. Fractional shortening (A), ejection fraction (B), end diastolic volume (C), and stroke volume (D) were measured. Data are presented as means ± SD. n = 16 M TAC, n = 15 M Sham, n = 11 F TAC, n = 12 F Sham. Abbreviations: transverse aortic constriction (TAC) fractional shortening (FS), ejection fraction (EF), end diastolic volume (EDV).

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  Fig. 3. Plasma interleukin-10 (A) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (B) concentrations are not different between male and female TAC and Sham rats. Concentrations were measured by a competitive ELISA after 40 weeks post-surgery in male and female TAC and Sham rats and data were log10 transformed. Data are represented as means ± SD. n = 7 M TAC, n = 6 M Sham, n = 5 F TAC, n = 6 F Sham. Abbreviations: transverse aortic constriction (TAC), interleukin (IL), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α).

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  Fig. 4. Forelimb grip strength did not differ between TAC and Sham rats. Maximal (A) and average (B) grip strength were measured in male and female Sham and TAC (n = 18) rats 40 weeks post-surgery. Data are represented as means ± SD. N = 11 M TAC, n = 13 M Sham, n = 7 F TAC, n = 11 F Sham. Abbreviations: transverse aortic constriction (TAC).

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  Fig. 5. Modest differences in soleus muscle specific force in female, but not male, TAC vs. Sham rats. Soleus twitch and tetanic force production (A, C) and specific force (B, D) and Extensor digitorum longus (EDL) twitch and tetanic force production (E, G) and specific force (F, H) in male and female Sham and TAC (n = 18) rats 40 weeks post-surgery. Data are represented as means ± SD. N = 7 M TAC, n = 9 M Sham, n = 6 F TAC, n = 5 F Sham. Abbreviations: transverse aortic constriction (TAC).