Figure 2.

BCL11B (B-cell leukemia 11b) downregulation is associated with increased arterial stiffness. A, Bcl11b mRNA levels measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (2^−ΔΔCt) are decreased in aortas of high fat, high-sucrose (HFHS)-fed obese mice, a model of arterial stiffness, compared with normal diet (ND)-fed mice. n=4 mice in each group; *P=3.0×10⁻² by Mann-Whitney nonparametric test. B, Representative Western Blot of Bcl11b protein expression in aortic homogenates of ND- and HFHS-fed mice. Each lane represents one mouse. GAPDH serves as loading control. Bar graph summarizes protein band quantitation (ratio of Bcl11b over GAPDH band intensities), each dot represents one mouse. n=6 mice in each group; *P=1.0×10⁻² by unpaired t test. C, Pulse wave velocity (PWV, m/s), the in vivo index of arterial stiffness, measured over a range of mean arterial pressures (MAP, mm Hg), is increased in 10-month old mice lacking Bcl11b compared with wild-type (WT) littermates. n=4 mice in each group; area under the curve (AUC): 260.3±4.7 m/s×mm Hg in WT vs 285.6±2.8 m/s×mm Hg in Bcl11b^−/−; *P=6.0×10⁻³ by unpaired t test for AUC. Shadowed box indicates PWV values (4–6 m/s) for HFHS-fed mice in comparable ranges of MAP (100–130 mm Hg), adapted from reference.²²