Fig. 5. Transdifferentiation of PASMCs was blocked in SM22α-GZMB Tg mice.

a Immunohistochemical analysis of Runx2 in lung tissues from wild-type and SM22α-GZMB Tg mice after hypoxia and normoxia for 3 weeks. All panels are at × 20 magnification. Scale bars = 50 μm; n = 10. b Expression of Runx2, MSX2, BMP2, and SOX9 was evaluated with western blotting in lung tissues from wild-type and SM22α-GZMB Tg mice after hypoxia and normoxia for 3 weeks. β-Actin served as the standard; n = 10. c Real-time PCR was administered to estimate the mRNA level of Runx2, MSX2, BMP2, and SOX9; 18 s served as the standard; n = 6. d Activity of ALP was evaluated with pulmonary arteries from wild-type and SM22α-GZMB Tg mice after hypoxia and normoxia for 3 weeks. n = 10; data are represented as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.001 versus wild-type group. ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01, and ^###P < 0.001 versus hypoxia + wild type group. HYP, hypoxia; WT, wild type