Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia Regulates CaMKII-Dependent MAPK Signaling to Promote the Initiation of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Figure 5

CIH upregulates MMP expression and mtROS generation in vitro. The isolated VSMCs from mouse aortas tissues were stimulated with Ang II combined with CIH. (a) The mRNA levels of MMP2, (b) MMP9, and (c) MCP1 were measured by qRT-PCR (). (d) Representative image of Western blot. (e) Quantification of MMP2, MMP9, and MCP1 protein expressions (). (f) MMP2 and MMP9 activities by zymography. (g) Quantification of MMP2 and MMP9 activities (). (h) Representative images showing mtROS levels (). (i) Representative image of flow cytometry for testing apoptosis. (j) Quantification of apoptotic cells from flow cytometry (). (k) Representative image of Western blot. (l) Quantification of Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3 expressions (). , , and .

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