Aberrant regulation of DDAH/ADMA pathway in Nx rats. (A) Plasma levels of ADMA in Nx and sham-operated rats. (B) Tissue concentrations of ADMA in the liver, muscle and adipose tissues of Nx and sham-operated rats. (C) The expressions of DDAH1 (upper panel) and DDAH2 (lower panel) in the adipose tissues. (D) Tissue MDA levels as assessed by TBARS methods representing tissue oxidative stress in liver, muscle and adipose tissues of Nx and sham-operated rats. (E) Tissue levels of indoxyl sulfate in the adipose tissues of Nx and sham-operated rats as assessed by immunostaining using antibody against indoxyl sulfate. (F) The mRNA expression levels of AhRs in the liver, muscle and adipose tissues of Nx and sham-operated rats. (G) 3T3-L1 fibroblasts were differentiated into adipocytes in the presence or absence of ADMA or cGMP, as described in Materials and methods. After the cells were differentiated into mature adipocytes on Day 8, the TG content (G), mRNA expression of adipocyte differentiation markers, including PPARγ (H) and nitrate/nitrite concentration in the medium (I) were measured. (A–F) *P < 0.05 versus sham-operated rats, n = 6. (G–I) *P < 0.05 versus control cells, ^#P < 0.05 versus cells treated with 100 µM of ADMA, n = 6. Data are presented as mean ± SEM.