Figure 1.

Amlodipine (AM) induces vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) differentiation markers and inhibits dedifferentiation marker expression. (a) Expression of miR‐21 in plasma (n = 8). (b) Expression of miR‐21 in aorta vessels (n = 8). (c, d) Western blots of VSMC differentiation genes in aorta vessels in different groups. (e, f) Western blots of VSMC differentiation genes stimulated by PE combined with AM at different concentrations. (g, h) Western blots of VSMC differentiation genes stimulated by different concentrations of AM. (i, j) Western blots of VSMC differentiation genes stimulated by PE and 5‐μM AM at different time points. (k, l) Western blots of VSMC differentiation genes stimulated by 5‐μM AM at different time points. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM (n = 6). *P < .05 versus spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) + vehicle or control or 0 hr; ^% P < .05 versus Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) + vehicle; and ^& P < .05 versus PE or PE + 0 hr. α‐SMA, α‐smooth muscle actin; CNN1, calponin 1; OPN, osteopontin; PE, phenylephrine; SM‐MHC, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain