Fig. 6.

Depletion of α-parvin from airway smooth muscle tissues promotes the expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SmMHC) and inhibits Akt activation and eotaxin secretion. Depletion of β-parvin promotes Akt activation and eotaxin secretion and inhibits SmMHC expression. A: tissues were depleted of α-parvin or β-parvin using α-parvin siRNA (α-Prv siRNA) or β-parvin siRNA (β-Prv siRNA) and immunoblotted for α-parvin, β-parvin, and vinculin (loading control). α-parvin protein was significantly depleted in α-Prv siRNA-transfected tissues but not in Sham-treated or β-Prv siRNA-transfected tissues. Conversely, β-parvin expression was significantly depleted in β-Prv siRNA-transfected tissues but not in Sham-treated or α-Prv siRNA-transfected tissues. B: depletion of α-parvin significantly decreased Akt phosphorylation in tissues at both low and high tension and abolished the mechanosensitivity of Akt phosphorylation. In contrast, depletion of β-parvin significantly increased Akt phosphorylation at both low and high tensions and abolished the mechanosensitivity of Akt phosphorylation (n = 4). Depletion of α-parvin significantly increased SmMHC expression at both low and high tensions and reduced the mechanosensitivity of SmMHC expression (n = 6). Depletion of β-parvin significantly inhibited SmMHC expression at high mechanical tension and abolished its mechanosensitivity (n = 6). C: depletion of α-parvin significantly inhibited the eotaxin secretion regardless of mechanical tension and suppressed the mechanosensitivity of eotaxin secretion (n = 6). Depletion of β-parvin significantly enhanced the eotaxin secretion by tissues at low and high tension and inhibited the mechanosensitivity of eotaxin secretion (n = 6). All values are means ± SE. Statistical analysis by one-way ANOVA. *Significant difference between low and high tensions. **Significant difference between Sham-treated tissues and α-parvin- or β-parvin-depleted tissues. ns, not significant. P < 0.05 was considered significant.