Research Article

Elevated GTP Cyclohydrolase I Pathway in Endothelial Progenitor Cells of Overweight Premenopausal Women

Figure 5

The GTPCH I/BH4 pathway and the phosphorylation of eNOS in circulating EPCs in the four groups. The level of GTPCH I (a) or intracellular BH4 (b) of EPCs in normal-weight and overweight premenopausal women was higher than that in normal-weight and overweight men. There was no difference in the level of GTPCH I (a) or intracellular BH4 (b) of EPCs between normal-weight and overweight premenopausal women. No significant difference was found in either eNOS phosphorylation (c) or eNOS protein expression (d) of EPCs between the four groups. (e) Representative photographs of GTPCH I, phosphorylated eNOS and eNOS expression of EPCs. Data are given as mean ± SD. vs. the same gender group of normal weight; vs. the same weight class of premenopausal women.
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