FIGURE 5.

Aortas of CSE^−/− mice displays vascular hyporeactivity to phenylephrine (PE) and an unmodified NO signalling. Representative traces of PE‐induced contraction in aortic rings harvested from (a) WT mice and (b) CSE^−/− mice. CSE^−/− mice display a reduced level of contraction compared to WT mice. (c) the cumulative concentration–response curve to PE on aorta of CSE^−/− mice (n = 10 mice) is significantly reduced compared to WT mice (n = 7 mice). (d) Concentration–response curve to PE performed on aortic rings harvested from WT mice. The incubation with l‐NIO (10 μM, 20 min), the eNOS selective inhibitor, does not affect PE‐induced contraction (n = 7 mice). (e) Concentration–response curve to ‐ performed on aortic rings harvested from CSE^−/− mice. The incubation with l‐NIO (10 μM, 20 min), the eNOS selective inhibitor, does not affect PE‐induced contraction (n = 7 mice). Values shown are means ± SEM and are expressed as a contraction (dyne/mg tissue). *P < 0.05 significantly different as indicated; two‐way ANOVA with Bonferroni's post hoc test. (f) Representative western blot analysis (upper) and densitometric analysis (lower) for eNOS expression in aorta of WT and CSE^−/− mice (n = 6 mice). The western blot study does not reveal a significant difference in eNOS expression between WT and CSE^−/− mice; Student's t‐test