Leptin Inhibits the Proliferation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Induced by Angiotensin II through Nitric Oxide-Dependent Mechanisms

Figure 3

Impact of NOS inhibitors on the inhibitory effect of leptin on Ang II-induced proliferation of aortic VSMCs. The coincubation with both NOS inhibitor, NMMA (10 $\mu$mol/l), (a) and the selective iNOS inhibitor, L-NIL (10 $\mu$mol/l), (b) blunted the inhibitory effect of leptin (10 nmol/l) on the Ang II (100 nmol/l)-induced proliferative response in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from Wistar rats. Data are expressed as mean $\pm$ SEM ($n$=40). Differences between groups were analysed by two-way ANOVA. In case of interaction between factors (leptin treatment and NOS inhibitors), differences between groups were analysed by one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnet’s test. *$P\hspace{0.17em}<\hspace{0.17em}.05$, **$P\hspace{0.17em}<\hspace{0.17em}\hspace{0.17em}.01$ versus control response to Ang II in the absence of inhibitors.

(a)

(b)