Fig. 5.
NaHS restored the H2S generating enzyme activity and its protein expression (A, B), and depressed osteogenic transition in medial smooth muscle cells (SMC) of aorta in DN rats (C, D, E). Western blot method was used to examine the protein expressions of α-actin (C), SM22α (D) and Cbfα-1 (E). β-actin from the same blot was control for protein loading. α-actin and SM-22α are smooth-muscle lineage markers, and core binding factorα-1 (Cbfα-1) is osteogenic marker. Results are from one representative experiment and relative to β-actin. CSE: cystathionine-lyase. C: control. n = 6 ~ 8 rats (A) and n = 3 ~ 5 rats (B, C, D). Values represent the means ± SEM. *p < 0.05 compared to control rats. #p < 0.05 compared to DN rats