Fig. 4.
Effects of AICAR on ERK1/2 phosphorylation in parotid cells exposed to different stimuli. Cells were pretreated with AICAR (2 mM) or vehicle for 10–15 min and then exposed to Carb (10−5 M), 2′,3′-O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)adenosine 5′-triphosphate (BzATP, 10 μM), phorbol 12-myristate 13 acetate (PMA, 100 nM), and epidermal growth factor (EGF, 100 μg/ml) for 2 min. A: representative Western blot analysis of different samples from one experiment. Blot was probed with P-ERK1/2 and ERK2 antibodies. B: quantification of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. For each condition, the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was quantified and normalized to total ERK2, and values are shown relative to basal (no AICAR). AICAR had an inhibitory effect on all stimuli except EGF. Number of individual experiments is indicated at base of bars. *P < 0.01; #P < 0.03.