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. 2015 Feb 9;14(3):400–408. doi: 10.1111/acel.12315

Fig 4.

Fig 4

Aging exacerbates hypertension-induced redox-sensitive matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) activation. Representative compressed Z stacks of confocal images of MCAs showing stronger MMPsense 645 FAST fluorescence (red) in high pressure-exposed MCAs isolated from aged mice as compared to MCAs isolated from young mice, indicating increased MMP activation. MCAs were pressurized at 60 and 160 mmHg for 6 h. MMPsense 645 FAST becomes fluorescent upon cleavage by activated MMPs. Note that high pressure-induced MMP activation in aged MCAs was significantly attenuated by the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin and the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant mitoTEMPO (original magnification: 20×, scale bar: 100 μm). Bar graphs (B) are summary data. Data are means ± SEM (n = 6 in each group). *P < 0.05. vs. Young (160 mmHg), #P < 0.05 vs. Aged (160 mmHg). (C) Representative confocal image of the cross section of a cerebral intraparenchymal arteriole from an aged hypertensive mouse injected with the MMPsense 645 FAST substrate (scale bar: 50 μm). Note the strong red fluorescence in the vascular wall indicating increased MMP activity. Intraluminal FITC-dextran is shown for orientation purposes. L (lumen), M (media), B (brain parenchyma). (D): Hypertension-induced MMP activation assessed using the MMPsense 645 FAST fluorescent method, in young, aged, and resveratrol-treated aged mice (n = 6 in each group). Data are mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05 vs. Young HT, #P < 0.05 vs. Aged HT.