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. 2023 Oct 4;2023:6112301. doi: 10.1155/2023/6112301

Figure 2.

Figure 2

OxLDL stimulates SMC migration via MMP2 and MMP9 activation. (a, b) OxLDL stimulates MMP2 and MMP9 activation. SMC made quiescent in medium containing ITS-G 1x supplement were exposed to OxLDL or nLDL for 24 hr and then analyzed for MMP2 and MMP9 activation using SensoLyte® 520 fluorimetric assays. In a subset of experiments, SMCs transduced with adenovirus expressing siRNA against MMP2 (Ad.siMMP2), MMP9 (Ad.siMMP9), or eGFP (Ad.sieGFP) were made quiescent and then exposed to either OxLDL or nLDL. In another set of samples, quiescent SMCs were treated with inhibitors of MMP2 or MMP9 prior to OxLDL exposure. (c) Targeting MMP2 or MMP9 also inhibits OxLDL-induced SMC migration analyzed by the Boyden chamber assay. SMCs migrating to the lower surface of the membrane were counted at 20x magnification in 10 independent fields and summarized as mean ± SEM. The inset shows representative images of Matrigel™ transwell invasion. (d, e) Knockdown of MMP2 (d) and MMP9 (e) was confirmed by western blotting and densitometric results are presented on the right of panel E. (a, b)  ∗P < 0.01 versus untreated, †P< at least 0.05 versus nLDL or untreated or DMSO (n = 4), (c)  ∗P < 0.01 versus untreated, †P < 0.05 versus nLDL or untreated or DMSO (n = 4), (e)  ∗P < 0.05 versus eGFP siRNA (n = 3).