Magnesium inhibits β-catenin translocation into the nucleus in VSMC.

<p>VSMC cultured with 3.3+1.4 mM Mg, and 3.3 mM P+1.4 mM Mg+10 µM 2-APB. Control group with 0.9 mM P+0.8 mM Mg was also included. Intracellular localization of β-catenin was visualized by immunofluorescence using confocal microscopy. <b>(A)</b> For each group, β-catenin (green immunofluorescence) is shown left; in the middle the same sample is counterstained with DAPI (blue) for nuclear stain; the merged image is shown right. Images represent four different experiments. <b>(B)</b> Quantification of nuclear β-catenin staining was performed by the Mander's coefficient (M2 plugin: DAPI vs. green). <b>a</b>, P<0.005 vs controls; <b>b</b>, P<0.005 vs VSMC with 3.3 mM P+0.8 mM Mg; and <b>c</b>, P<0.05 vs VSMC with 3.3 mM P+1.4 mM Mg. Bars are the mean±SE of four experiments.