Fig. 6. Inhibition of p38 MAP kinase with SB203580 restores cell survival and Akt-1 phosphorylation. (A) Statistical analysis of caspase-3 activity shows that inhibition of p38 MAP kinase significantly reduced increases of caspase-3 activity in cells cultured in high glucose (HG) or peroxynitrite (PN) compared to cells cultured in normal glucose (NG). (*P<0.05 compared to NG, P<0.05 compared to PN.) (B) Inhibition of p38 MAP kinase restores Akt-1 phosphorylation in cells cultured in high glucose (HG) or peroxynitrite (PN) compared to cells cultured in normal glucose (NG). A representative image of immunoblot analysis, using cell lysates (50 µg), for phospho Akt-1 and ß-actin is shown at the top. Similar results were obtained in another two experiments. (*P<0.05 compared to NG.)