Figure 3
Expression of preproenkephalin (PPE) mRNA in the rVLM of rats.
Panel A: Real time PCR traces display levels of fluorescence in a logarithmic scale from four rats, one from each group. The trace crosses the arbitrary line of threshold shown as a dashed horizontal line indicated by the perpendicular arrow. The tissue sample obtained from the EA-treated rat with cold-induced hypertension (CIH) expressed a higher concentration (i.e., at lower number of cycles) of PPE mRNA, represented by the blue curve indicated by (b), compared to control curves (c), which included CIH treated with sham-EA, CIH and normotension (red, blue and light blue curves, respectively). Expression of housekeeping gene 18s (arrow a) was similar among the four groups. They had very similar cycle thresholds. Panel B: Group data show that PPE mRNA, 72 hr after termination of EA treatment, was increased relative to controls. ^, * and # indicate significant differences (P < 0.05) compared respectively with CIH treated with sham-EA, CIH and the normotensive control.
