Figure 1.

LOE and losartan treatments improve endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to Ach in the aortas of apoE^−/− mice. Aortic rings (3–4 mm in length) with endothelium derived from the indicated groups of mice were suspended in organ baths containing oxygenated Krebs solution and precontracted with phenylephrine (100 nM) before the construction of concentration–relaxation curves to Ach (1 nM–10 µM). The results are shown as mean ± SEM (n = 5–7). * p < 0.05 indicates a significant difference between the apoE^−/− vehicle group versus the C57BL/6 group and ^# p < 0.05 the apoE^−/− LOE group or apoE^−/− losartan group versus the apoE^−/− vehicle group.