Fig. 3.

NOS3 induces a drop in systemic vascular resistance. Diminished blood pressure in septic WT, while MAP remained stable in NOS3^−/− (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 vs. WT at baseline; ^## p < 0.01, ^### p < 0.001 vs. WT mice; n = 4–10 per group; unpaired student’s t test) (a). Septic WT mice developed a progressive drop in systemic vascular resistance (b) (WT baseline vs. WT CLP 6 h: −34.6 %; WT baseline vs. WT CLP 12 h: −40.5 %). Systemic vascular resistance remained stable in NOS3^−/− mice (NOS3^−/− baseline vs. NOS3^−/− CLP 6 h: −9.2 %, NOS3^−/− baseline vs. NOS3^−/− CLP 12 h: +1.3 %)