Effect of Ang II on insulin-induced MAP kinase phosphorylation. (a,d,f) VSMCs were pretreated with Ang II (100 nmol/l) for 18 h and then exposed to 10 nmol/l insulin for the indicated times. (b,c,e,g) VSMCs were pretreated with vehicle or Ang II (100 nmol/l, 18 h) and then exposed to insulin (10 nmol/l, 5 min). Western blotting was performed with anti-IRS-1, phospho-p38MAP kinase, p38MAP kinase (a,b,c), phospho-JNK, JNK (d,e), and phospho-ERK 1/2, ERK 1/2 (f,g) antibodies. Data represent mean ± s.e. (n = 5), expressed as fold change compared with unstimulated cells. *P < 0.05 vs. control. Ang II, angiotensin II; ERK, extracellular regulated kinase; IRS-1, insulin receptor substrate-1; JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase; MAP, mitogen-activated protein; VSMCs, vascular smooth muscle cells.