Fig. 1. Kaplan–Meier survival chart for male (◆) and female (●) SHRSP. N = 8 animals per group.

Fig. 2. Time-course of protein loss in urine, for male (◆) and female (●) SHRSP. Average values (± S.D.) are reported as mg proteinuria per 24 h; we fitted the collected data, by linear regression procedures, onto two lines with different m values (lag phase and rise phase). The parameters for the linear regression fitting of data during the rise phase are as follows: for males, (proteinuria, mg/day) = 69.21 × (time, weeks) − 199.75 (mg/day/week), r = 0.988; for females, (proteinuria, mg/day) = 29.44 × (time, weeks) − 296.32 (mg/day/week), r = 0.945.

Fig. 3. Two-dimensional maps of biological fluids from post-stroke female SHRSP. (A) Serum. The proteins whose amount is significantly different in post-stroke animals vs baseline are identified; standard symbols refer to the gender for which such difference was observed (see Fig. 5). The reference pattern for control female rat serum can be found in Miller et al. (1998) and online at http://linux.farma.unimi.it. For male SHRSP, the pattern of ‘post-stroke’ serum can be found in Sironi et al. (2001), and online at http://linux.farma.unimi.it. (B) Urine. The proteins whose amount is significantly different between genders in urine samples from post-stroke animals are identified; standard symbols refer to the gender for which the higher urinary concentration of the protein was observed (see Fig. 6). The pattern of control male urine can be found in Wait et al. (2001), that of post-stroke urine in Sironi et al. (2001), and online at http://linux.farma.unimi.it. (C) CSF. The proteins whose amount is either increased or decreased vs ‘before JPD’ and ‘standard diet’ samples are identified and marked by arrows. The pattern of control CSF can be found in Wait et al. (2001), that of ‘post-stroke’ CSF in Sironi et al. (2004b) and online at http://linux.farma.unimi.it.

Fig. 4. Statistically significant differences in individual serum protein levels in SHRSP, with or without JPD. Average values (± S.D.) of protein volumes (arbitrary units, from PDQuest output) are reported, together with the associated statistical parameter p. (A) Comparison between males before (left, open columns) and after (right, solid columns) JPD. (B) Comparison among females before (left, open columns) and after (right, solid dark columns) JPD and females of the same age as at the end of the treatment but given standard diet.

Fig. 5. Statistically significant differences in individual protein excretion between male (left columns) and female (right columns) SHRSP after JPD. Average values (± S.D.) of protein volumes (arbitrary units, from PDQuest output) are reported, together with the associated statistical parameter p.

Fig. 6. Cumulative concentration–response curves in thoracic aortic rings from male and female SHRSP with standard diet and with JPD. Panel A = phenylephrine (Phe), Panel B = acetylcholine, Panel C = sodium nitroprusside, Panel D = superoxide dismutase (SOD). Contraction is expressed as percent with respect to KCl effect (mean ± S.D.); relaxation is expressed as percent with respect to phenylephrine effect (mean ± S.D.). Open diamonds = SHRSP males on standard diet; solid diamonds = SHRSP males on JPD; open circles = SHRSP females on standard diet; solid circles = SHRSP females on JPD. Statistical significance of differences: Panel B: p < 0.001 JPD males vs standard diet males and standard diet females; p < 0.001 JPD females vs standard diet males and standard diet females; p = 0.014 JPD males vs JPD females (Tamhane T2). Panel D: p = 0.044 standard diet males vs standard diet females; p < 0.001 standard diet males vs JPD males; p = 0.018 standard diet males vs JPD females; p < 0.001 standard diet females vs JPD females and JPD males; p = 0.014 JPD males vs JPD females (Tamhane T2).

Summary

Maximal response (E_max) to vasoactive compounds in different experimental groups

Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. All data are presented as percent of KCl or l-Phe pre-contraction.

Values of sensitivity expressed as pD₂

Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation.