Figure 5

Vascular function was unchanged by DEP instillation. (a) Contraction of aortic rings to phenylephrine, (b) endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine and (c) endothelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside. Responses in C57bl6 mice (grey lines) or ApoE^−/− mice (black lines) receiving either saline (circles, broken line) or DEP (triangles, solid line) instillation. All dose response curves were performed in the same vessel from a single animal. ApoE^−/− were fed Western diet for 8 weeks, whereas wild-type mice were fed normal chow. Mean ± S.E.M. (n = 6-7 for phenylephrine, n = 4-5 for acetylcholine and SNP), ^n.s. P > 0.05, two-way ANOVA saline vs DEP in C57bl6 mice, ^N.S. P > 0.05, two-way ANOVA saline vs DEP in ApoE^−/− mice.