Fig. 2

Knockdown of circItgb5 in vivo attenuates pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary artery remodeling and right ventricle hypertrophy. A SD rats were divided into four groups: control group, MCT group, (Lsh-NC + MCT) group, and (Lsh-circItgb5 + MCT) group. HBSS, hank's balanced salt solution. n = 6. B RT-qPCR was used to detect circItgb5 expression when it was knocked down in PA. n = 6. *0.01 ≤ P ≤ 0.05 versus (Lsh-NC + control), ^#0.01 ≤ P ≤ 0.05 versus (Lsh-NC + MCT). C RVSP in the four groups was shown (n = 6). Scale bar = 1 s. ***P ≤ 0.001 versus control, ^#0.01 ≤ P ≤ 0.05 versus (Lsh-NC + MCT). D Morphological analysis of small pulmonary arteries was performed using HE staining (a–d) and IHC staining (anti-α-SMA, e–h). Original magnification, × 200; scale bar = 50 µm. HE staining detected right ventricle hypertrophy (i–l). Original magnification, × 1; scale bar = 5 mm. E Wall thickness (%) of small pulmonary arteries. n = 6. ***P ≤ 0.001 versus control, ^#0.01 ≤ P ≤ 0.05 versus (Lsh-NC + MCT). F Changes in the RVHI. RVHI = RV/(LV + S), RV, right ventricle; LV, left ventricle; S, ventricular septum. RVHI, right ventricular hypertrophy index. n = 6. **0.001 ≤ P ≤ 0.009 versus control, ^#0.01 ≤ P ≤ 0.05 versus (Lsh-NC + MCT). G Muscularization of pulmonary small arteries. NM, nonmuscularized; PM, partially muscularized; FM, fully muscularized. n = 6. *0.01 ≤ P ≤ 0.05 versus control, ***P ≤ 0.001 versus control, ^#0.01 ≤ P ≤ 0.05 versus (Lsh-NC + MCT), ^###P ≤ 0.001 versus (Lsh-NC + MCT)