Figure 3.

AP-1-Dependent MMP Expression and Activity in Cultured Murine and Human SMCs

Effect of AP-1 cODN treatment on MMP expression by western blot (A–D) and activity by zymography (E–G) in IL-1β (IL1)-stimulated murine and human SMCs. Treatment with AP-1 cODN (cAP1), but not the mutated control ODN (mAP1), resulted in reduction of MMP-9 expression in WT mAoSMC (A, *p = 0.0159, n = 6) and mgR/mgR mAoSMC (B, *p = 0.0411, n = 6) and reduction of MMP-2 expression in mgR/mgR mAoSMC (C, *p = 0.025, n = 4), which was also shown for MMP-2 in HUASMCs (D, *p = 0.025, n = 4). Subsequently, MMP-9 (E, *p = 0.025, n = 5) and MMP-2 activity (F, *p = 0.022, n = 7; G, *p = 0.027, n = 4) was reduced as well. contr, control.