FIG. 7.

p38MAPK contributes to the LOX-dependent disturbances in vascular stiffness and elastin alterations. Activation of p38MAPK (p-p38) in vessels from control or Ang II-infused mice treated or not with BAPN (A) and in wild-type (WT) and TgLOX mice treated or not with mito-TEMPO (mito-TP) (B) or PEG-catalase (PEG-cat) (C). Results were normalized by total p38 levels. (D) Wall/lumen-pressure curves, (E) stress-strain curves, and (F) fenestrae area and number in MRAs from WT, TgLOX, or TgLOX mice receiving SB 203580 (SB). Maximal projections of the IEL of MRAs are shown. Projections were obtained from serial optical sections that were captured with a fluorescence confocal microscope ( × 63 oil immersion objective). Image size: 59.5 × 59.5 μm. Data are represented as mean ± SEM (n = 3–8; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs. WT; +p < 0.05, ++p < 0.01 vs. untreated TgLOX mice). p38MAPK, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. To see this illustration in color, the reader is referred to the web version of this article at www.liebertpub.com/ars