Figure 4.

In vitro platelet aggregation in whole blood collected from normotensive (NT) or hypertensive (HT) mice after intratracheal (i.t.) instillation of saline or polyethylene glycol silver nanoparticles (PEG-AgNPs). Blood samples obtained from the aforementioned groups were incubated at 37°C with ADP (0.1 μM) for 3 min and stirred for another 3 min, and single platelets were then counted. The degree of platelet aggregation in HT or NT mice exposed to PEG-AgNPs or saline was compared with each other and with that obtained in untreated (without ADP) whole blood obtained from control (unexposed) mice. Data are the mean ± SEM (n = 4). Statistical analysis by one-way ANOVA followed by Holm-Sidak's multiple comparison test.