Fig. 6

Nox4 inhibition counteracted T2DM-induced endothelial dysfunction. a TUNEL assay of HUVECs cultured with HG-PA alone or with si-Nox4 for 72 h, Scale bars: 100 μm. b The fluorescent intensity of DHE was observed. Scale bars: 100 μm. c Capillary-like tube formation was assessed in HUVECs. Scale bars: 300 μm. d Representative images of aortic rings from db/m mice. Scale bars: 200 μm. e–h The quantitative analysis of TUNEL + cells in (a), fluorescent intensity in (b), the tube length in (c), the number of sprouts in (d). i Representative confocal images of apoptosis in aortal vascular endothelium from db/db mice or db/db mice gavaged at a dose of 60 mg/kg/day GKT137831. Scale bars: 40 μm. J The presence of immunofluorescence with CD31 and Ki67 of aortal vascular endothelium. Scale bars: 20 μm. k and l The quantitative analysis of TUNEL + cells and Ki67 of aortal vascular endothelium from db/db mice and GKT137831 treated db/db mice aorta tissue sections. Data are represented as means ± SEM (n = 5). Significance (e–h): *P < 0.05 vs. HG-PA in scrambled HUVECs. Significance (k and l): *P < 0.05 vs. vehicle-treated db/db mice. j Representative confocal images of oxidative damage marker 3-NT in aortal vascular endothelium. Scale bars: 40 μm. k The presence of immunofluorescence with CD31 and Ki67 of aortal vascular endothelium. Scale bars: 20 μm. l The quantitative analysis of TUNEL + cells from db/db mice and GKT137831 treated db/db mice aorta tissue sections. Data are represented as means ± SEM (n = 5). Significance (e–h): *P < 0.05 vs. HG-PA in scrambled HUVECs. Significance (k and l): *P < 0.05 vs. vehicle-treated db/db mice