Fig. 3.

Hyperuricemia promotes increases in MMP-9, URAT1 and p-ERK 1/2 protein abundance in the abdominal aorta in mice. A Representative Western blot analysis and quantification of MMP-9, URAT1, p-ERK1/2 and ERK1/2 protein expression in the aortas of ApoE-KO mice with hyperuricemia or treated with Ang II. Hyperuricemia alone enhanced MMP-9, URAT1 and p-ERK1/2 expression compared with the control level. Ang II and hyperuricemia + Ang II also increased the expression abundance of MMP-9, URAT1 and p-ERK1/2. B MMP-9 protein abundance. C URAT1 protein abundance. D p-ERK1/2 protein abundance. MMP: matrix metalloproteinase; URAT1: urate transporter 1; p-ERK 1/2: phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2; Ang II: angiotensin II. The upper and lower whiskers show the maximal and minimal values, respectively; and the upper, middle and lower horizontal lines in the box represent the upper, middle and lower quartiles, respectively. Original images of blots (Additional file 1). *P < 0.05