oxLDL promotes TLR4, IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1 and MMP-2 expression in primary smooth muscle cells.

<p>(A)–(B) Primary SMCs were incubated for increasing amount of time (24, 48 and 96 hrs with 50 ug/mL) and increasing doses (12.5, 25 and 50 ug/mL for 48 hrs) of oxLDL. The expression of TLR4 was detected by Realtime-PCR (A) and Western blotting (B) and quantified by densitometry in 3 independent experiments (A and B) as relative units (TLR4/β-actin). (Mean ± SD, n = 3; *P<0.05, **P<0.01 compared with con group). (C) oxLDL stimulated primary SMCs with increasing doses (12.5, 25 and 50 ug/mL for 24 and 48 hrs). Secretion of IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1 and MMP-2 was measured by ELISA and quantified in 3 independent experiments. (Mean ± SD, n = 3;**P<0.01 compared with con group, $$P<0.01 compared with 24 hrs treatment group, ##P<0.01 compared with 12.5 ug/mL oxLDL treatment group, && P<0.01 compared with 25 ug/mL oxLDL).