Figure 2
Phosphate induces aldosterone synthase expression in VSMCs. Representative confocal microscopy images showing aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) protein expression in HAoSMCs (a) and in MAoSMCs isolated from aldosterone synthase-deficient mice (Cyp11b2−/−) or corresponding wild-type mice (Cyp11b2+/+)(b) following treatment for 24 hours with (Pi) or without (Ctr) phosphate. Images are representative for four independent experiments. CYP11B2 expression: green labeling, nuclei: blue labeling. Scale bar: 10 μm. (c) Representative original Western blots and arithmetic means ± SEM (n = 4; arbitrary units, a.u.) of normalized CYP11B2/GAPDH protein ratio in HAoSMCs following treatment for 24 hours with (Pi) or without (Ctr) phosphate. Arithmetic means ± SEM of CYP11B2 relative mRNA expression (d, n = 6; a.u.) and MRE/GRE-dependent transcriptional activity measured by luciferase reporter assay (e, n = 6; a.u.) in HAoSMCs following treatment for 24 hours with (Pi) or without (Ctr) phosphate. Arithmetic means ± SEM (a.u.) of Cyp11b2 relative mRNA expression in aortic tissue from kl/kl mice and corresponding wild-type mice (WT)(f, n = 8) and from DBA mice without (CTR) or with subtotal nephrectomy (Nx) (g, n = 8). *(p < 0.05) statistically significant vs. control treated HAoSMCs, WT mice or control treated mice, respectively.
