Table 1.
Physiological data (mean ± s.e.m.) for the four groups that constituted our control mice (pooled hereafter) and the eight groups of mutant/pharmacologically treated mice. Myh11+/+, Fbln5+/+ and Fbn1+/+ were generated as a by-product by breeding heterozygous mutant mice to produce homozygous mutant mice; wild-type (WT) refers to inbred mice maintained through sibling matings. Background, age, body mass and blood pressure (systolic/diastolic) are indicated for each group. Differences in background and age were dictated by prior individual studies that focused on the effect of each mutation [16–18,20,22]. The value of systolic pressure was adjusted (adj) to conscious mouse conditions depending on the protocol and apparatus used for data acquisition [23,24]. Note that elastase was applied to WT C57BL/6J ascending aortas; hence, donor mice are not listed as a separate group. Note: C, indwelling (aortic) polyethylene catheter in the conscious mouse; M, Millar ascending aortic catheter in the anaesthetized mouse (1.2% isoflurane); S, Scisense ascending aortic catheter in the anaesthetized mouse (1.5% isoflurane); T, non-invasive tail cuff method in the conscious mouse. By mild phenotype, we mean that the aortic properties were nearly, though not precisely, normal.
| background | age (weeks) | body mass (g) | Psys/dias (mm Hg) | Psys,adj (mm Hg) | aortic phenotype | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| controls | ||||||
| Myh11+/+ | C57BL/6;129SvJ | 27.3 ± 0.5 | 27.4 ± 1.9 | 124 ± 3/91 ± 3 – T | 125 | normal |
| Fbln5+/+ | C57BL/6;129/SvEv | 21.2 ± 0.2 | 31.9 ± 1.8 | 120 ± 6/84 ± 6 – T | 120 | normal |
| Fbn1+/+ | C57BL/6;Sv129;SW | 8.5 ± 0.1 | 29.0 ± 1.2 | 124 ± 1/91 ± 1 – C | 124 | normal |
| wild-type | C57BL/6J | 15.2 ± 0.1 | 28.9 ± 0.7 | 127 ± 1/97 ± 2 – T | 128 | normal |
| mutants | ||||||
| Myh11R247C/R247C | C57BL/6;129SvJ | 26.0 ± 0.8 | 29.0 ± 1.5 | 117 ± 3/82 ± 1 – T | 117 | mild |
| Fbln5−/− | C57BL/6;129/SvEv | 21.2 ± 0.3 | 30.5 ± 1.4 | 121 ± 7/85 ± 7 – T | 122 | stiff/tortuous |
| Myh11R247C/R247C+HT | C57BL/6;129SvJ | 26.9 ± 0.6 | 23.6 ± 1.1 | 186 ± 7/143 ± 12 – T | 189 | dissection prone |
| ApoE−/− + HT | C57BL/6J | 21.9 ± 1.3 | 31.2 ± 0.7 | 186 ± 3/141 ± 2 – T | 189 | dilated/thickened |
| Tgfbr2f/f + Tmx | backbred to C57BL/6 | 8.1 ± 0.1 | 21.8 ± 0.5 | 93 ± 2/70 ± 2 – M | 109 | dissection prone |
| Tsc1f/f + Tmx | backbred to C57BL/6 | 12.3 ± 0.1 | 28.0 ± 0.5 | 83 ± 2/63 ± 2 – M | 97 | aneurysm prone |
| Fbn1mgR/mgR | C57BL/6;Sv129;SW | 8.8 ± 0.2 | 30.2 ± 0.4 | 131 ± 5/88 ± 4 – C | 132 | aneurysmal |
| Fbln4SMKO | C57BL/6J;129SvEv | 13.1 ± 0.2 | 17.2 ± 0.4 | 107 ± 3/56 ± 1 – S | 131 | aneurysmal |