Figure 3.

AT1R inhibition retarded excessive mitochondrial fission, ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular senescence, which are induced by ox-LDL. (A) Representative images and quantitative analysis of Mitotracker Red in ox-LDL-treated cells with Candesartan or the control vehicle. Scale bar = 10 μm. ^*P < 0.05 vs. ox-LDL with the control (n = 3 per group). (B) Electron microscopic images and quantitative analysis of mitochondria and average mitochondrial areas in Candesartan-treated vs. vehicle-treated cells with ox-LDL. ^*P < 0.05 vs. ox-LDL with the control (n = 3 per group). (C) Immunoblots and quantitative analysis for Drp1, p-Drp1 (Ser616), p-Drp1 (Ser637), Mfn1, Mfn2, Opa1, and β-actin in ox-LDL treated cells with Candesartan or the control. ^*P < 0.05 vs. ox-LDL with the control (n = 3 per group). (D) Representative images of MitoSox Red in ox-LDL-treated cells with Candesartan or the control vehicle. (E) Relative mitochondrial H₂O₂ production in ox-LDL-treated cells with Candesartan or the control. ^*P < 0.05 vs. ox-LDL with control vehicle (n = 3 per group). (F) Representative images and quantitative analysis of JC-1 staining in ox-LDL-treated cells with Candesartan or the control. Scale bar = 100 μm. ^*P < 0.05 vs. ox-LDL with the control (n = 3 per group). (G) Relative mitochondrial ATP production in ox-LDL-treated cells with Candesartan or the control. ^*P < 0.05 vs. ox-LDL with the control. (n = 3 per group). (H) Representative images and quantitative analysis of SA-β gal staining of ox-LDL-treated cells with Candesartan or the control. Scale bar = 100 μm. ^**P < 0.01 vs. ox-LDL with the control (n = 8 per group). (I) Immunoblots and quantitative analysis for p53, p21, and β-actin in cells with Candesartan or the control under ox-LDL treatment. ^*P < 0.05 vs. ox-LDL with the control (n = 3 per group). All data are presented as the mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis were conducted by Wilcoxon rank sum test (A-C,E-G,I) and Student's t-test (H).