FIGURE 5.

Adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation mediated aldosterone (Aldo)‐mineralocorticoid receptor‐dependent inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) autophagy. A and B, Representative Western blot bands and semiquantitative analysis of LC3, Beclin‐1, phospho‐AMPKα (P‐AMPKα) and total AMPKα (T‐AMPKα) in VSMCs. C, Alizarin red S staining of microscopic (scale bar, 50 μm) images in mice VSMCs. D, Quantitative analysis of the calcium content of VSMCs after induction with different stimuli for 7 d, normalized to the protein levels, and 100 nmol/L Aldo, 1 µmol/L Compound C and 20 μmol/L spironolactone (Sipro) were used. n = 5 per group. *P < .05 vs control group; ^# P < .05 vs Pi group; ^& P < .05 vs Aldo + Pi group; ^% P < .05 vs Aldo + Pi + Spiro group