Fig. 5.

ERK1/2 siRNA transfection reduces high glucose-induced CTGF, ECM protein expression and cell proliferation in VSMCs. Cells were transfected with CTGF siRNA and then treated with 5.55 or 22.2 mM of glucose. After treatment, CTGF protein expression measured by western blot (A, B) and cell proliferation measured by an MTT assay (C) Collagen type I, Collagen type III, and fibronectin protein expression were measured by western blot (D). Results are represented as the mean±S.E.M (n=4). ^*p<0.05 compared with 5.55 mM glucose, ^**p<0.001 compared with 5.55 mM glucose, ^#p<0.05 compared with 22.2 mM glucose, ^##p<0.001 compared with 22.2 mM glucose.