Vitamin D Receptor Activation Mitigates the Impact of Uremia on Endothelial Function in the 5/6 Nephrectomized Rats
Figure 1
Endothelial dysfunction in 5/6 nephrectomized rats and the effect of paricalcitol. SHAM and 5/6 NX rats were treated with vehicle or paricalcitol at indicated doses as described in “Materials and Methods” ( = 9–11 per group). Aorta rings were precontracted with phenylephrine (PE, 3 M), and the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine was added in half-log increments (1 nM–30 M) at 3–5 minute intervals. Afterwards, aorta rings were precontracted with PE (3 M) and subsequently treated with endothelial-independent vasodilator sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 1 nM–1 M) at 3–5 minute intervals. (a) Acetylcholine-evoked relaxation. (b) SNP-evoked relaxation.