Profilin-1 is involved in macroangiopathy induced by advanced glycation end products via vascular remodeling and inflammation

Figure 6 Involvement of profilin-1 and the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway in advanced glycation end products-induced cell proliferation (n = 3). A: RT-PCR analysis of the expression of the profilin-1 mRNA in rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) treated with different concentrations of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) (µg/mL) for different times. ^a,c,eP < 0.05 compared with the 0 control group, ^b,d,fP < 0.01 compared with the 0 control group; B-E: Western blot showing levels of the profilin-1 protein in RASMCs treated with different concentrations of AGEs for different times. ^aP < 0.05 compared with the control group; F: RT-PCR analysis of the expression of the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) mRNA in RASMCs treated with 200 µg/mL AGEs for different times. ^aP < 0.05 compared with the 0 control group; G-H: Western blot analysis of the effect of 200 µg/mL AGEs on the expression of the JAK2 and STAT3 proteins in RASMCs treated with or without the JAK2 inhibitor (T3042-1) or STAT3 inhibitor (T6308-1). ^bP < 0.01 compared with the control group. ^dP < 0.01 compared with the AGEs group. AGEs: Advanced glycation end products; JAK2: Janus kinase 2; STAT3: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.