Effects of Hyperglycemia on Vascular Smooth Muscle Ca²⁺ Signaling

Figure 1

Effect of glucose on proliferation, basal Ca²⁺, and store Ca²⁺ content in A7r5 VSM cells. Proliferation (a), metabolic activity (b), basal Ca²⁺ level (c), and Ca²⁺ store content (d-e) were tested. Proliferation of A7r5 cells cultured under HG and NG was determined, 24 and 48 h after plating, using trypan blue dye exclusion counting (a). Metabolic activity of A7r5 cells from the different groups (HG, NG, and OC) shifted to HG or NG, measured 3 h later using the WST-1 assay (b). For basal Ca²⁺ levels and store content, cells cultured under HG, NG, or OC were loaded with Fura2-AM (2 μM for 30 min) and the extent of Ca²⁺ release was determined following treatment of the cells with 2 μM ionomycin (d-e). Data are presented as mean ± SE from at least three independent experiments done each in triplicate. .