Journal: Nature Communications

Article Title: Calcium channel blockers increase the risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection

doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-68086-5

Figure Lengend Snippet: a Experiment design. 16-week-old C57BL/6 J mice were infused with AngII (1000 ng/kg·min − 1 ) for 28 days. After 7 days of infusion, the mice were daily injected with vehicle, dihydropyridine CCBs [amlodipine (1 mg/kg/day) or nifedipine (20 mg/kg/day)], benzothiazepine CCB [diltiazem (8 mg/kg/day)], phenylalkylamine CCBs [verapamil (12 mg/kg/day)]. b SBP was measured by tail-cuff at −7, 0, 3, 7, 14, 21 days after vehicle/CCBs treatment. c –e Ultrasound-monitored maximal inner diameters of the aortic root, ascending aorta, and aortic arch at 0, 7, 14, 21 days. f Representative ultrasound images of thoracic aorta after 21 days of vehicle/CCB treatment. g –i Monitoring of rd-PWV and ascending aortic strain in mice at different time points by M-mode ultrasound. ( g ) Schematic illustration of calculation method. ( h ) rd-PWV. i Ascending aortic strain. j Representative ex vivo morphology of thoracic aortas. Scale bar=2 mm. k –m Maximal external diameters of ascending aorta ( k ), aortic arch ( l ), and descending aorta ( m ). Data presentation : Data in ( b –e, h , i, k-m ) are presented as mean ± SEM. For some points, SEM is smaller than the symbol size and not visually discernible. Each data point represents an individual mouse as a biological replicate with similar results. The initial sample sizes per group were: Saline + Vehicle ( n = 7), AngII + Vehicle ( n = 13), AngII + Amlodipine ( n = 12), AngII + Nifedipine ( n = 12), AngII + Diltiazem ( n = 11), AngII + Verapamil ( n = 11). Due to mortality during the experimental period, exact n at each time point is provided in the Source Data file. Statistical analysis : Two-sided one-way ANOVA with Dunnett multiple comparisons test, Brown-Forsythe and Welch ANOVA with Dunnett T3 multiple comparisons test or Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons was used as appropriate for ( b-e , h , i ) at different time points (detailed for each comparison in the Source Data file). * P < 0.05 vs. AngII + Vehicle group. Exact P -values for all comparisons are provided in the Source Data file. Statistical analysis of ( k –m ) were performed using two-sided Brown-Forsythe and Welch ANOVA with Dunnett T3 multiple comparisons test. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. AngII angiotensin II, SBP systolic blood pressure, CCB calcium channel blocker, rd-PWV root to descending aorta pulse wave velocity.

Article Snippet: Briefly, a noninvasive computerized CODA tail-cuff blood pressure system (Kent Scientific, Torrington, CT, USA) was used to measure mouse SBP.

Techniques: Injection, Ex Vivo, Saline, Comparison

Journal: Nature Communications

Article Title: Calcium channel blockers increase the risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection

doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-68086-5

Figure Lengend Snippet: a Experiment design. 8-week-old mice infrarenal abdominal aortas were incubated with PBS or elastase (10 mg/ml) and then daily injected with vehicle, amlodipine (1 mg/kg/day), nifedipine (20 mg/kg/day), diltiazem (8 mg/kg/day) or verapamil (12 mg/kg/day) for 14 days. b SBP was measured by tail-cuff at 14 days after vehicle/CCBs treatment. c Representative ex vivo morphology of aortas. Scale bar=2 mm. d Maximal external diameter of abdominal aorta. e , f Representative image of abdominal aorta elastin Van Gieson staining ( e ) and statistical analysis on elastin degradation grade. Scale bar=250/50 μm. Data presentation: Data in ( b , d , e , f ) are presented as mean ± SEM. Each data point represents an individual mouse as a biological replicate with similar results. The sample sizes per group were: PBS + vehicle ( n = 3), Elastase + vehicle ( n = 9), Elastase + amlodipine ( n = 11), Elastase + nifedipine ( n = 10), Elastase + diltiazem ( n = 12), Elastase + verapamil ( n = 9). Statistical analysis: Statistical analysis of ( b ) were performed using two-sided one-way ANOVA with Dunnett multiple comparisons test. Statistical analysis of ( d ) were performed using two-sided Brown-Forsythe and Welch ANOVA with Dunnett T3 multiple comparisons test. Statistical analysis of ( f ) were performed using two-sided Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. CCB calcium channel blocker, PBS phosphate buffered saline, SBP systolic blood pressure.

Article Snippet: Briefly, a noninvasive computerized CODA tail-cuff blood pressure system (Kent Scientific, Torrington, CT, USA) was used to measure mouse SBP.

Techniques: Incubation, Injection, Ex Vivo, Staining, Saline