Fig. 1. Nitrite Supplementation Does not Enhance the Cardioprotective Effects of Exercise Training.

Mice were housed in cages fitted with running wheels and allowed to exercise voluntarily for 4 weeks (VE). Control mice (sedentary, SED) were housed in cages without running wheels for the same durations as the VE mice. Groups of both SED and VE were also administered oral nitrite therapy (NO₂, 25 mg/L in drinking water; NO₂ and VE+NO₂). (A) Representative mid-ventricular photomicrographs of hearts from each of the groups showing the degree of infarction following 45 minutes of left coronary artery occlusion and 24 hours or reperfusion. (B) Myocardial area-at-risk (AAR) as a percentage (%) of total left ventricle (LV) and infarct size (INF) as a percentage of area-at-risk (AAR) and (C) circulating Troponin-I levels (ng/mL) in each of the groups. (D) Ejection fraction (%) was calculated in separate groups of mice using echocardiography images at baseline and 7 days following myocardial ischemia (POST). Values are means ± S.E.M. Numbers inside the bars are the number of animals investigated. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, and ***p<0.001 vs. SED or Baseline.