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. 2021 Jun 18;11:12903. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-92303-y

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Col4a1/a2 hemizygosity reduces aorta Col4a1/a2 content but does not affect morphometry of the aorta. (a, b) Aorta Col4a1 (a) and Col4a2 (b) mRNA levels relative to Gapdh measured by qPCR. (c, d) Aorta Col4a1 (c) and Col4a2 (d) protein levels relative to Gapdh measured by MRM LC–MS. For (a–d), data are normalized to the mean of the female Col4a1/a2+/+ group. (e) Peptides (and their location) of Col4a1, Col4a2 and Gapdh from the MRM LC–MS analysis used to obtain results in (c, d). P* = hydroxyproline, aa = amino acids. (f) Representative cross-sections of aortas stained by Masson trichrome. Scalebars (overview) = 100 µm; Scalebars (magnifications) = 25 µm. (g) Quantitation of aorta media cross-sectional area (analysis is based on Acta2-stained aorta sections exemplified in Supplementary Fig. 1). (h, i) Weight (h) and relative heart mass (i) of baseline Col4a1/a2+/− mice and Col4a1/a2+/+ littermates. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. *p ≤ 0.05, ***p ≤ 0.001, ****p ≤ 0.0001, ns = non-significant. Unpaired t-test was used in a-d and g-i. Although both sexes are plotted, no intersex comparisons were performed. f = female, m = male. n per group = 8–12.