Fig. 7.

Increasing G-actin levels with latrunculin B blocks TGF-β1-mediated inhibition of PDGF-BB-induced MMP-2 expression. A and B: S31 VSMCs were grown to postconfluence and serum starved for 48 h before stimulation with 25 ng/ml PDGF-BB at T = 0. At T = 24 h, an additional 25 ng/ml bolus of PDGF-BB was added, and as indicated, 10 ng/ml TGF-β1 and/or 1 μM latrunculin B (LatB) were added as well. At T = 48 h, total RNA was collected and analyzed for SM α-actin (A) and MMP-2 (B) expression levels by real-time PCR. Error bars represent means ± SE, and P values were calculated using unpaired, two-tailed t-tests. N = 3.