Fig. 1

Experimental protocol. Schematic overview of experimental protocol (a). Hemorrhagic shock was induced by pressure-controlled blood withdrawal, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was maintained for 1 h at 30 mmHg (shock). After 1 h of shock, animals were resuscitated with fluids (R), which was paralleled by administration of vasculotide (VT) as treatment or PBS as control, and monitored for 4 consecutive hours (b, c). Renal and cremaster perfusion measurements were performed directly after the surgical preparation (baseline), 30 min after shock induction (0.5 h HS), 1 h after shock induction (1 h HS), and 30 min (R + 0.5 h), 1 h (R + 1 h), 2 h (R + 2 h), 3 h (R + 3 h) and 4 h (R + 4 h) after start of fluid resuscitation. Plasma was collected at baseline and before killing (4 h after starting fluid resuscitation). Rats were killed and kidneys were isolated for additional molecular analyses and determination of edema formation. d, e An example of renal perfusion analysis. Regions of interest were drawn in the cortex of the kidney (d). The estimate of perfusion was calculated as the product of microvascular blood volume A and microvascular filling velocity β (e). Two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analyses, *P < 0.05 HS group compared to baseline; ^#P < 0.05 HS + VT vs. HS group. Data represent mean ± SD, n = 13