A and B, Thoracic aortas of IKK2smKo mice and their littermate WT controls were quickly isolated from animals, placed on ice and the peri-vascular adipose tissue was rapidly removed, and snap-frozen with liquid nitrogen. IKK2 expression and MLC phosphorylation in these aortas were analyzed by western blot. n=6/group. *P<0.05 vs. WT; student t-test. C-E, Contractile responses of mesenteric arterial rings from IKK2smKo and their littermate WT controls to KCl, PE, and U-46619. F and G, mesenteric arterial rings were contracted with PE (1µM) and then relaxed by acetylcholine or SC-514 (100 µM). n=4/group; *P<0.05 vs. WT; student t-test or two way ANOVA.