COX-2 inhibitor treatment maintains mRNA expression of markers of differentiated smooth muscle.

Real-time PCR quantitation of (A) α-actin or (B) hyaluronic acid synthase-2 mRNA expression in the abdominal aorta. Mice were provided control or celecoxib containing diet beginning 1 week after initiating a 6-week AngII infusion. (C) Quantitation of α-actin mRNA expression in the abdominal aorta of mice provided control or celecoxib containing diet beginning 3 weeks after initiating an 8-week AngII infusion. Expression levels of the gene of interest were normalized to HPRT mRNA levels. Results indicate mean ± SEM and the number of mice in each group is provided within the graphs. P values were determined using an unpaired two-tailed t-test. * indicates P<0.05.