Fig. 3.

MetS decreases phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) at Ser¹¹⁷⁷ and increases phosphorylation of eNOS at Thr⁴⁹⁵. These alterations in eNOS phosphorylation result in profound inhibition of eNOS and reduced myocardial NO bioavailability. A: representative immunoblots of cardiac protein expression of phosphorylated eNOS (Ser¹¹⁷⁷), eNOS (Thr⁴⁹⁵), and total eNOS. B–D: densitometry analysis of total eNOS (B), phosphorylated eNOS (Ser¹¹⁷⁷; C), and phosphorylated eNOS (Thr⁴⁹⁵; D). E: cardiac nitrite levels in lean and obese OS. F: coronary artery cGMP levels. Values are means ± SE; numbers inside bars are numbers of animals per group. NS, not significant.