Figure 2.

Endothelial deficiency of Sox17 (SRY-related HMG-box 17) (Sox17^EC−/−) augments chronic hypoxia-induced murine pulmonary hypertension (PH). (A) Schema that reflects modeling of murine hypoxic PH. (B) Representative immunostaining against Sox17 (red) and CD31 (green) in mouse lung section from control and Sox17^EC−/− mice (scale bar, 50 μm). (C) RVSP measurements in wild-type (WT) and Sox17^EC−/− mice under normoxia and hypoxia (n = 10–16 per group). (D) Fulton index (RV/[LV + S]) measurements in WT control and Sox17^EC−/− mice exposed to normoxia or hypoxia (n = 10–16 per group). (E) Representative hematoxylin and eosin images of PAs (categorized into diameter ⩽ 50 μm and diameter > 50 μm) showing wall thickness in WT and Sox17^EC−/− mice under normoxia or hypoxia. (F) Summarized data showing PA wall thickness (wall area/total area) in WT and Sox17^EC−/− mice. (G) Representative αSMA (α-smooth muscle actin) staining in WT and Sox17^EC−/− mice under normoxic conditions. (H) Representative αSMA staining in WT and Sox17^EC−/− mice under hypoxic conditions. (I) Percentage of muscularized vessels in control and Sox17^EC−/− mice under normoxia and hypoxia (n = 4 per group) and quantitative immunofluorescence of αSMA in mouse lung samples. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ****P < 0.0001. CD31 = cluster of differentiation 31; PA = pulmonary artery; RV/(LV + S) = ratio of right ventricular weight to the sum of left ventricular and septal weight; RVSP = right ventricular systolic pressure.