Phenotypic and Functional Changes of Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

Figure 6

Apoptosis level in cultured SMC from patients with aortic aneurysm with either tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) or bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and controls (C). (a) The level of “baseline” SMC apoptosis in culture. The diagram shows the percentage of annexin V positive SMC in vitro estimated by flow cytometry. The lower panel shows representative plots from the analysis of live SMC in culture. C: ; TAV: n=5; BAV: . (b) Apoptosis induction by H₂O₂. The diagram shows the residual between the percentage of annexin V positive cells after H₂O₂ treatment and the level of annexin V positive cells in untreated cultures. The lower panel shows representative plots from the analysis of SMC treated with H₂O₂. C: ; TAV: ; BAV: . Arrows mark annexin V positive cells.

(a)

(b)