Expression data from PDGF-BB-treated rat aortic smooth muscle cells

Unlike other terminally differentiated cell types, vascular SMCs display remarkable phenotypic plasticity. The adult, differentiated state is traditionally defined by expression of well-characterized SMC contractile genes. Extracellular cues, however, can induce contractile SMCs to remodel toward a synthetic state characterized by a spectrum of proliferative, migratory, and inflammatory phenotypes. We used whole-genome expression arrays to to identify genes associated with SMC phenotypic modulation. Rat aortic SMCs were serum-starved for 72 hours and subsequently treated with either PDGF-BB or its respective vehicle (n=2). RNA samples were hybridzed to Affymetrix arrays with the intent to identify early genes associated with SMC phenotypic modulation.