Figure 3. PTEN overexpression augments SMC apoptosis under basal conditions as well as following exposure to oxidative stress.

HcASMC transfected with a plasmid carrying WT-PTEN or a control (empty) vector and PTEN protein-expression levels were determined by immunoblotting (A). SMC were incubated in basal medium (B) and in basal medium supplemented with H₂O₂ (C) and the relative number of apoptotic cells was evaluated following TUNEL-staining (expressed as % of total cells; *P<0.001; n = 6). HcASMC were transfected as follows: non transfected (NT); transfected with an empty plasmid without PTEN-cDNA (pControl); transfected with a plasmid coding for PTEN (pPTEN).