Downregulated GTCPH I/BH4 Pathway and Decreased Function of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Their Relationship with Endothelial Dysfunction in Overweight Postmenopausal Women

Figure 6

The CTCPH I/BH4 pathway and the phosphorylation of eNOS in circulating EPCs. The levels of GTCPH I (a) and intracellular BH4 (b) in EPCs were lower in overweight men and postmenopausal women than in normal weight men and postmenopausal women. There was no difference in the level of GTCPH I (a) or intracellular BH4 (b) in EPCs between normal weight and overweight postmenopausal women and men. No significant difference was found in either eNOS phosphorylation (c) or eNOS protein expression (d) in EPCs among the four groups. Representative photographs and quantitative analyses of GTCPH I and p-eNOS protein expression in cultured EPCs (e). versus normal weight.

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