FIGURE 5.
WM suppresses phenotypic switching in AGEs-treated HASMCs. Cells were treated with AGEs for 24 h. (A) Western blot analysis of α-SMA (a smooth muscle cell-specific protein). (B) Observation of the cell cytoskeleton in HASMCs after treatment with AGEs (0–100 mg/L) (red represents F-actin, blue represents DAPI; scale bar = 25 μm). (C) Western blot analysis shows the levels of α-SMA after WM administration (1 µM) in HASMCs. (D) Cytoskeletal staining assay verifies osteoblast phenotype (red represents F-actin, blue represents DAPI; scale bar = 25 μm). Data are presented as the fold change compared with the control group. Each point represents the mean ± SD (n = 3/group); *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 compared with the WM/AGEs group; ## p < 0.01.
