Figure 5.

In vitro effect of MMP-9 on vascular function. Graphs showing R_max responses to high K+ (A), vasoconstriction concentration–response curves to 5-HT (B) and relaxation concentration–response curves to ACh (C) (following pre-constriction to 70–80% of their appropriate R_max response to 5-HT) in aortic tissues taken from naïve non-immunized animals and incubated in the absence (Control) and presence of exogenous MMP-9 (24 h, 75 ng·mL⁻¹). Impaired contraction responses to K+ and 5-HT were observed in the presence of intact endothelium-dependent relaxation responses to ACh following this incubation. *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001 significantly different from control, n≥ 3 for all groups.