Figure 2.

Overexpression of β-del TERT in non-CAD adipose microvessels confers a CAD phenotype. Lentiviral transfection of β-del TERT-GFP (107 TU/mL intraluminal) increased expression of β-del TERT and GFP compared to negative controls. Representative image of IHC β-del TERT (A + B) or GFP (C + D). Lenti-GFP has no impact on dilator capacity or mechanism (ie, remains NO-mediated) (E), whereas β-del TERT is sufficient to induce loss of NO-mediated dilation to flow (ie, no longer inhibited by L-NAME) while triggering a compensatory increase in flow-induced H₂O₂ (inhibited by PEG-catalase) dilation (F). (G) Smooth muscle-dependent dilation to papaverine was not impaired. * P < 0.05 2-way ANOVA RM, N = 7–8. Lenti-GFP, N = 4 historic data from Kadlec et al. (2017).⁴¹