Research Paper Volume 13, Issue 16 pp 20495—20510

Figure 5. The downstream components of Fas/FasL-mediated and mitochondria-mediated caspase-dependent apoptotic pathways in a normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) group, a spontaneously early aged hypertensive (SHR) group and a hypertension with 12 weeks exercise training (SHR-EX) group. (A) The representative protein levels of active Caspase-8 (Fas downstream), Cytochrome c, Apaf-1, active Caspase-9 (mitochondrial downstream), active Caspase-3 (Fas and Mitochondrial downstream) extracted from the cerebral cortex of excised brain in WKY, SHR, and SHR-EX groups were measured by Wester blotting analysis. The α-tubulin was used as an internal control. (B) Bars represent the relative fold changes of protein quantification relative to the control group in active Caspase-8, Cytochrome C, Apaf-1, active Caspase-9, active Caspase-3 on α-tubulin and mean values ± SD (n=6 in each group). *: p<0.05, **: p<0.01 in comparison between SHR group and WKY rat group; #: p<0.05, ## p<0.01 in comparison between SHR-EX group and SHR group.