A, smooth muscle strips were contracted with 60 mM KCl before and after 2-day incubation without ODNs, or with vimentin sense or antisense. Mean active force in response to 60 mM KCl was quantitated as percent of KCl-induced force in each strip before incubation. Values are mean ± SE. Asterisk indicates significantly lower response as compared to muscles not treated with ODNs, or treated with sense ODNs (n = 6–7) (P < 0.05). B, myosin light chain phosphorylation in muscle strips incubated without ODNs, or with vimentin sense or antisense. Myosin light chain phosphorylation was measured in smooth muscle strips 5 min after stimulation with 60 mM KCl. Differences between antisense-treated, sense-treated and no ODNs-treated strips were not statistically significant. Values shown are mean ± SE (n = 4).