(A) Northern blot analysis in HSVECs was performed for the PPARα target gene acyl-CoA-oxidase (ACO) and compared to GAPDH in HSVEC pretreated (16 h) with pioglitazone or WY14643 at the concentrations shown before TNFα stimulation. B) Western blot analysis for IκBα expression was performed on total protein extracts (50µg) from HSVECs treated with either pioglitazone (10 µM) or WY14643 (250 µM) before stimulation with human TNFα. (C) Standard LBD activation assays were performed in BAECs stimulated with pioglitazone at the concentrations shown (0.01–100 µM). (D) PPARα-LBD assays were done as before but comparing responses in NIH/3T3 (fibroblasts), HEK293 (human kidney epithelial), Hep-G2 (hepatic) and BAEC cell lines before stimulation with pioglitazone or WY14643 (both 10 µM). Values are expressed as luciferase/β-Gal activity mean± SD (n = 3. *p<0.05 BAEC vs. NIH/3T3, ** vs. HEK293, *** vs. Hep-G2, both Student’s t and Mann-Whitney tests).