Minimally Modified LDL Upregulates Endothelin Type A Receptors in Rat Coronary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells

Figure 4

Effect of the MAPK pathway inhibitors on the mmLDL-induced increase in contractile function and levels of ET_A receptor mRNA in the coronary artery. After rat coronary arteries were cultured for 24 h with mmLDL (10 μg/mL) in the presence of MAPK inhibitors, including the ERK1/2 inhibitors SB386023 (a), U0126 (b), the JNK inhibitor SP600125 (c), or the p38 inhibitor SB203580 (d), the ET-1-induced concentration-contraction curves were constructed (𝑛=8 coronary arteries, from that number of animals). The effects of the MAPK inhibitors on the level of ET_A receptor mRNA are shown ((e) 𝑛=5-6 coronary arteries, from that number of animals). The data are presented as the mean ± SEM. ^∗𝑃<0.05, ^∗∗𝑃<0.01versus mmLDL.

(a)

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