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Figure 9 | Critical Care

Figure 9

From: Platelet-derived exosomes induce endothelial cell apoptosis through peroxynitrite generation: experimental evidence for a novel mechanism of septic vascular dysfunction

Figure 9

Nitric oxide-induced and septic platelet-derived exosomes cause ROS/RNS-dependent apoptosis in endothelial cells. Exosomes obtained from septic patients or from platelets exposed to a nitric oxide (NO) donor (diethylamine-NONOate; NONOate) cause a twofold to threefold increase in apoptosis rates of rabbit endothelial cells compared with exosomes from platelets exposed to saline (not shown) or thrombin. The membrane-permeable superoxide dismutase mimetic Mn(III) tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin chloride (SOD; 10 mM), the NO synthase inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 1 mM), or the peroxynitrite scavanger urate (1 mM) reversed the proapoptotic activity of exosomes. Results are means ± SD of six experiments for each group. *P < 0.05 versus control, †P < 0.05 versus untreated. ROS, reactive oxygen species; RNS, reactive nitrogen species.

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Critical Care

ISSN: 1364-8535