Figure 3.

PGE1 induces PTEN upregulation and pAKT downregulation. Commercially available PASMCs were transfected with PTEN siRNA or scrambled siRNA as a control non-targeting siRNA. PASMCs were serum-starved (0.1% serum) for 48 hrs, and then treated with 10, 50, and 100 nmol/L PGE1 for 24 h. Representative immunoblot (a) and densitometric quantification (b) of protein expression at the indicated dose. The PTEN-silenced PASMCs exhibited increased pCREB and PTEN expression and inhibited pAKT expression in a dose-dependent manner. The bars represent the mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001compared with PTEN siRNA only.