Figure 6

Effects of GCH1 overexpression on tetrahydrobiopterin, dimerization and phosphorylation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), nitric oxide (NO_x) and superoxide in diabetics.

(A) tetrahydrobiopterin (BH₄) concentrations (n = 5 mice/group); (B) representative Western blot bands showing the expression of dimers and monomers of neuronal NOS (nNOS) 12 weeks after administration of streptozotocin (STZ) or vehicle; (C) the ratio of nNOS dimers/monomers; (D) representative Western blot bands showing the expression of phosphorylated nNOS at serine 1412 (p-nNOS) and total nNOS; (E) the ratio of p-nNOS/total nNOS (n = 4 mice/group); (F) Western blot bands showing the expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH); (G) the ratio of iNOS/GAPDH (n = 4 mice/group); (H) Western blot bands showing expression of the dimers and monomers of endothelial NOS (eNOS); (I) the ratio of eNOS dimers/monomers; (J) the ratio of phosphorylated eNOS at serine 1177 (p-eNOS)/total eNOS (n = 4 mice/group); (K) myocardial NO_x levels (n = 9 mice/group); (L) myocardial superoxide levels (n = 9 mice/group). ^*P < 0.05 versus WT controls; ^†P < 0.05 versus WT STZ groups; ^#P < 0.05 versus Tg controls.