FIGURE 5.

Overexpression of GIT1 in injured liver endothelial cells enhances NO production and ameliorates portal hypertension. A, sinusoidal endothelial cells isolated after BDL were transfected with GIT1 or EV, and cell lysates were subjected to immunoblotting (IB) with the indicated antibodies (representative immunoblots of 3 are shown). B, sinusoidal endothelial cells from BDL were transfected with GIT1 (0.5 to 1.5 μg) and nitrite levels from conditioned medium were measured (n = 3, *, p < 0.01 versus normal; **, p < 0.001 versus BDL not transduced with GIT1). C–E, rats were subjected to BDL, and 4 days later, Ad-GFP or Ad-GFP-GIT1 (1 × 10¹⁰ plaque-forming units/kg) were administered as described under ”Experimental Procedures.“ After 10 additional days, sinusoidal endothelial cells were isolated. C, cell lysates were subjected to immunoblotting with the indicated antibodies, immunoblots representative of 3 others are shown. D, conditioned media from the same cells was collected and nitrite levels were measured (n = 3, *, p < 0.01 versus rats not receiving adenovirus or receiving Ad-GFP alone). E, portal pressure in rats as in C and D was measured as described under ”Experimental Procedures.“ Some rats had sham surgery as under ”Experimental Procedures“ (n = 5, *, p < 0.005 versus sham BDL; **, p < 0.01 versus BDL alone or BDL with Ad-GFP). IP, immunoprecipitation.