Fig. 3.
IL-1β induces a marked upregulation of IL-6 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Mouse aortic smooth muscle cells were isolated as described in materials and methods. First-passage cells were serum-starved to promote differentiation for 24 h and then treated with IL-1β (10 ng/ml) or vehicle control in serum-free media for 24 h. After 24 h RNA expression levels were analyzed by qRT-PCR and data presented are expressed relative to cells treated with vehicle control after normalization to an Hprt internal control (RQ = 2-ΔΔCt, where ΔΔCt = (IL-1β treated; Ct gene – Ct hprt) – (control; Ct gene – Ct hprt); n = 4 *P < 0.05.