Fig 1: Suppression of circ_0103896 promotes the phenotypic switch of hBVSMCs from a contractile to a synthetic state via miR-432-5p.hBVSMCs were transfected with control vector (p-NC), circ_0103896 overexpression vector (p-Circ), p-Circ and miR-432–5p mimic (p-Circ + mimic), siRNA negative control (si-NC), siRNA against circ_0103896 (si-Circ), and siRNA against circ_0103896 combined with anti-miR-432–5p (si-Circ + Anti-miR). Following transfection, cells were treated with PDGF-BB for 24 h. (A) RT-qPCR analysis of miR-432-50 expression after differential transfection. ∗∗∗P < 0.001. (B, C) Transcriptional levels of α-SMA (ACTA2) (B) and SM-22α (TAGLN) (C) in hBVSMCs after indicated treatments. ∗P < 0.05 and ∗∗∗P < 0.001. (D, E) Representative western blots (D) and quantification (E) of α-SMA and SM22α protein expression. ∗P < 0.05 and ∗∗P < 0.01. (F, G) mRNA expression of inflammation-associated cytokines: TNF-α and IL1B (F) and IL6 and iNOS (G) in hBVSMCs under indicated treatments measured by RT-qPCR. ∗∗∗P < 0.001. (H, I) Representative western blots (H) quantification (I) of MMP2 and MMP9 protein levels in hBVSMCs after indicated treatments. ∗∗P < 0.01 and ∗∗∗P < 0.001. (J) Cell proliferation determined with or without indicated transfection under PDGF-BB treatment. ∗∗∗P < 0.001. (K, L) Representative images (K) and quantification (L) of hBVSMC migration. ∗∗∗P < 0.001. (M, N) Flow cytometry analysis of apoptosis in hBVSMCs under differential treatments. ∗∗∗P < 0.001. Data are presented as mean ± SEM from ≥3 independent biological experiments. Technical replicates (triplicate wells or qPCR reactions) were averaged within each experiment. Statistical significance was assessed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test. ∗P < 0.05, ∗∗P < 0.01, ∗∗∗P < 0.001.