Figure 3

Involvement of MAPKs (p42/p44 MAPK, JNK and p38 MAPK) in TNF-α-induced MMP-9 release from pericytes. A, B and C, Cells were pretreated with U0126 (A), SP600125 (B) or SB203580 (C) for 15 min and then incubated with TNF-α (100 ng/mL) for 24 h. Representative western blots (top panels) and densitometric analysis (bottom panels) of MMP-9 levels in the culture media. Band intensities were quantified by scanning densitometry and the data are expressed as percentage of control values (vehicle-treated pericytes). Each bar indicates mean ± S.E.M. for three or more experiments. *** P < 0.001, significantly different from vehicle-treated pericytes. ^# P < 0.05, significantly different from TNF-α-treated pericytes. D, Representative images of western blots showing total and phosphorylated p42/p44 MAPK, JNK and p38 MAPK in the cell lysates of pericytes treated with TNF-α(100 ng/mL) for 24 h.