Fig. 6.

Mechanisms involved in the stretching response. Effect of 24 hrs of stretching on (A) Rcan1 expression (n = 19). (B) The effect of 1 μmol/l KN93 and 1 μmol/l cyclosporin A on the stretch-induced increase in skeletal α-actin expression (n = 7–18). (C) Expression levels of CaMKIIδ (n = 11), and expression of angiotensin II receptor type 1a (n = 8). (D) The effect of 1 μmol/l losartan and 10 μmol/l eplerenone on the stretch-induced increase in expression of skeletal α-actin (n = 5–18). (E) The effect of 10 μmol/l pravastatin on the expression of skeletal α-actin (n = 7). (F) Expression levels of Rac1, eNOS and iNOS (n = 9). (G) Overview of stretch-activated mechanisms. Data in A, C and G are expressed relative to control, in B, D, E and F data are expressed relative to unstretched control with 0.1% DMSO. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001 compared with unstretched control and in Figure C, D, E and F compared with stretch with DMSO. Rcan1: regulator of calcineurin 1; Rplp0: ribosomal protein, large, P0; ACTA1: skeletal α-actin; GDF15: growth differentiation factor-15; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide; CsA: cyclosporin A; Epl: eplerenone; Los: losartan; Prava: pravastatin; CaMKII: Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases IIδ; AIIR type 1a: angiotensin II receptor type 1a; Rac1: ras-related C3 botulinum substrate 1; eNOS: endothelial nitric oxide synthase; ANP: atrial natriuretic peptide; BNP: brain natriuretic peptide; β/α-MHC: β/α-myosin heavy chain; Egr-1: early growth response protein 1.