Figure 6.

Inhibition of ERK1/2 but not p38 MAPK and JNK blocks Ang II–induced MMP-2 protein expression in ASMCs by the selective inhibitor of ERK PD98059. Human ASMCs were, respectively, pretreated in six-well plates with 10 µM PD98059 (an ERK inhibitor), 20 µM SB203580 (a p38 inhibitor), and 10 µM SP600125 (a JNK inhibitor) for 60 min followed by 0.1 µM Ang II for 24 h. MMP-2 protein levels in the cells were determined by Western blot. (a–c) Top panel: Ratio of MMP-2/GAPDH. (a–c) Bottom panel: Representative Western blot for MMP-2. Data are expressed as percentage of control, and are the mean ± SEM of at least three independent experiments. *P < 0.05 and ^**P < 0.01 vs. untreated control cells, ^##P < 0.01 vs. Ang II treatment