LPS Induces Akt and Rac1 activation and increased TLR4 Protein Expression in VSMCs.

<p>Rac1 activity was analyzed by GST pull-down methods (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0092398#pone-0092398-g003" target="_blank">Figure 3a</a>). Bar graphs show the relative intensity of each band (relative to that of total Rac1), which was measured by densitometry. The phosphorylation of Akt (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0092398#pone-0092398-g003" target="_blank">Figure 3b and 3c</a>) and the expression of TLR4 protein (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0092398#pone-0092398-g003" target="_blank">Figure 3d</a>) were analyzed by Western blotting. Bar graphs (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0092398#pone-0092398-g003" target="_blank">Figure 3b, 3c, 3d</a>) show the relative intensity of each band (relative to that of β-actin), which was measured by densitometry. Data represent the results of three independent experiments (means±SEM;*compared with Control group, P<0.05; # Compared with LPS (15 min) group, P<0.05).