Effects of DM-MCM on synthetic differentiation marker expression in SMCs.

<p>Bar graphs represent folds of CL SMCs, mean ± SEM from 3 independent experiments. *<i>P</i><0.05 versus CL SMCs. (A, B) DM-MCM induced mRNA expressions of osteopontin (OPN) and matrix gla protein (MGP) in SMCs. SMCs were kept as controls (CL) or stimulated with DM-MCM for the times indicated, and the mRNA expressions of OPN (A) and MGP (B) were determined using real-time PCR analysis and normalized to 18S rRNA. (C) SMCs were kept as CL or stimulated with DM-MCM for the times indicated. Protein expressions of OPN and MGP were determined by Western blot analysis. Expression levels of OPN and MGP are presented as band densities (normalized to β-actin) relative to CL.