Figure 5.

Effect of Ucn2 on mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and Akt in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of rat aortic endothelial cells. Cells were treated with vehicle or Ucn2 (10⁻⁹ M) in the presence of LPS (10 µg·mL⁻¹). (A) For p38MAPK determination, cells were treated with Ucn2 (10⁻⁹ M) and incubated for the durations shown. Phospho-p38MAPK was obviously observed at the time point of 15 min. The p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580 (10⁻⁵ M) was used to investigate the effect of p38MAPK phosphorylation (B and C). (D and E) For ERK1/2 and JNK measurement, cells were incubated for 15 min, and phospho-ERK1/2, JNK were analysed by Western blot. (F) Effect of Ucn2 on Akt phosphorylation. Results given are the means ± SEM of values taken from three independent cultures. *P < 0.05, versus LPS group. Similar results were obtained from more than three independent cultures, and a representative experiment is shown.