Figures & data
Figure 1. Nicotine effect on MAP and contractile response of mesenteric arteries following placental ischemia. RUPP or Sham animals were treated with nicotine or saline vehicle GD14–18 and MAP and contractile responses determined on GD19. (A) MAP increased in RUPP Vehicle (n = 7) compared to Sham Vehicle (n = 7), but RUPP Vehicle was not significantly greater than RUPP animals treated with 1 mg nicotine/kg/day (RUPP Nicotine, n = 9). RUPP Nicotine was not significantly different from Sham Nicotine (n = 8) treated animals. *p < 0.05. (B) RUPP surgery significantly increased the active tension generated in response to 0.57 µM U46619 comparing RUPP Vehicle (n = 6) to Sham Vehicle (n = 6). In nicotine-treated animals, the contractile response to U46619 was significantly higher in RUPP (n = 8) versus Sham (n = 5). *p < 0.05.
Figure 2. Nicotine does not alter the fraction of fetuses resorbed. In vehicle-treated animals, RUPP surgery (n = 7) increased pup resorptions compared to Sham (n = 7). This effect persisted with nicotine treatment in RUPP (n = 9) and Sham (n = 8). *p < 0.05.
Figure 3. Nicotine does not affect the placental ischemia-induced increase in circulating C3a. C3a serum concentration is increased in RUPP Vehicle (n = 7) versus Sham Vehicle (n = 7). Treatment with 1 mg nicotine/kg/day over a 5-day period did not attenuate the RUPP (n = 8) increase in C3a compared to Sham (n = 8). *p < 0.05.
