Figure 1. α2δ‐1 interacts with NMDARs in the hypothalamus and increases the synaptic expression of α2δ‐1–bound NMDARs in SHRs.

A, representative blot images and mean changes show the α2δ‐1 protein level in the PVN in adult WKY rats and SHRs (n = 7 rats per group). B, original ABP traces and summary data show the effect of CGx or sham surgery on the mean ABP in SHRs (n = 6 rats in each group). C, original blot images and summary data show the α2δ‐1 levels (normalized to GAPDH) in the PVN in SHRs subjected to CGx or sham surgery (n = 6 rats in each group). D, representative blot images and mean changes show the α2δ‐1 protein level in the PVN in young WKY rats and SHRs (n = 6 rats per group). E, representative blot images and co‐immunoprecipitation analysis show the interaction between α2δ‐1 and GluN1 in total protein extracts of hypothalamic tissues from WKY rats and SHRs (n = 6 independent experiments per group, each tissue sample was pooled from two rats). Proteins were immunoprecipitated first with an anti‐GluN1 antibody or IgG and then immunoblotted using an anti‐α2δ‐1 antibody. F, original blot images and quantification data show the protein levels of α2δ‐1 and GluN1 (normalized to PSD‐95, a synaptic protein) in hypothalamic synaptosomes in WKY rats and SHRs (n = 6 independent experiments per group, each tissue sample was pooled from two rats). ^* P < 0.05, ^** P < 0.01, ^*** P < 0.001 compared to the sham group. ^### P < 0.001 compared to the sham group.