Changes of contractile protein expression and its effect on vessel contraction during neointimal formation / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To determine the relationship between the changes of SM ?-actin and SM22? expression and vascular tone. METHODS: The expression of SM ?-actin and SM22? during restenosis after de-endothelialization were detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The structure of myofilaments was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The vascular contraction induced by phenylephrine was measured by a force transducer. RESULTS: The levels of SM ?-actin and SM22? expression in vascualar wall declined after de-endothelialization. The myofilaments in VSMC were modulated from well arranged and dense bundles to discrete network. However, the vascular tone and reactivity to agonist were much higher than that in control (P