Astaxanthin Attenuates Hypertensive Vascular Remodeling by Protecting Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells from Oxidative Stress-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Figure 3

ATX reduces oxidative stress in serum, tunica media, and aortic VSMCs of SHRs. (a) The content of MDA and GSH and the enzyme activities of SOD and GSH-PX in the serum of each group. (b) The ROS levels of each group measured by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence. (c) The H₂O₂ production of each group measured by Amplex Red. (d) Representative pictures of the ROS (red) by dihydroethidium staining and quantitative analysis of ROS mean intensity. . (e) Representative images of aortic sections in each group stained by NOX4 (green), α-SMA (red), and DAPI (blue) and quantitative analysis of the percentage of NOX4-positive VSMCs. . (f) Representative images of aortic sections in each group stained for SOD2 (green), α-SMA (red), and DAPI (blue), as well as the quantitative analysis of SOD2 mean intensity of VSMCs. . Values are represented as from 8 rats in each group. vs. corresponding WKYs; ^# vs. corresponding SHRs.

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