ABSTRACT
Objective: To dicuss the regulation of expression of cGMP-dependent protein kinase I_? (PKG I_?) by calcineurin (CaN) in vascular smooth musle cells (VSMCs) proliferation. Methods: Cultured wistar rat aortic VSMCs were used as an experimental model. CaN was inhibited by its special inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA). Phenylephrine (PE) was given to stimulate VSMCs to proliferate. All of cultured cells were divided into four groups:control group, 0.5 mg/L CsA group, 5 mg/L CsA group and 5 mg/L CsA+10 ?mol/L PE group. The mRNA and protein expressions were assayed by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis. Results: The OD ratio of PKG I_? mRNA expression in 0.5 mg/L CsA group resembled that in the control group while that in 5 mg/L CsA group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P