Sex differences in arterial stiffness in a rat model of type 1 diabetes

Figures

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  Figure 1. Type 1 diabetes-associated sex differences in aortic arterial stiffness and internal diameter. (A) Pulse wave velocity (PWV, as measured by the transit time) and (B) internal diameter in aortas of control (CTL) and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male and female rats. Data are shown as mean ± SEM; **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, and ****p<0.0001 using two-way ANOVA with Sidak’s post hoc test. n = 4–6 per group.

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  Figure 2. Sex dependent extracellular matrix alterations in the diabetic male and female aorta. (A) Representative images of collagen deposition (stained in red), (B) collagen (% of positive area within the media layer), (C) collagen (% of positive area in total vessel), (D) representative images of elastin autofluorescence, (E) elastin fluorescence intensity, arbitrary units (a.u.), and (F) fragmentation of elastin fiber (number of breaks per section) in aortas of control (CTL) and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male and female rats. Images were adjusted for brightness and contrast using the same parameters. Scale bar = 100 μm. Data are shown as mean ± SEM; *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, and ****p<0.0001 using a two-way ANOVA with Sidak’s pos -hoc test, n = 4–6 per group.

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  Figure 3. AFM, Atomic force microscopy -based nanoscale assessment of aortic stiffness in control (CTL) and STZ, streptozotocin -induced diabetic male and female rats. (A) Young’s Modulus (as measured by AFM) and (B) frequency distribution of Young’s modulus in aortas of CTL and STZ male and female rats. Data are shown as mean ± SEM; *p<0.05 and **p<0.01, using a two-way ANOVA with Sidak’s post hoc test, n = 4–6 per group.