Fig. 4. qRT-PCR determination of cytokine-stimulated upregulation of SMC-derived exosomal microRNAs.

AoSMC culture, cytokine stimulation, and exosome isolation were performed as described in Fig. 1. qRT-PCR was performed to detect cytokine-induced level changes of the four microRNAs selected in Fig. 3. Levels of microRNAs in either cytokine-stimulated AoSMCs or AoSMC-derived exosomes were measured, as shown in A and B, respectively. The relative expression refers to microRNA fold change with (vs. without) cytokine stimulation. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 3 replicates). *P < 0.05, miR548ai compared to any of the other three microRNAs (between two bars of the same color), as analyzed with one‐way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc test; NS not significant.