Northern blot analysis of u-PA and u-PAR mRNA of hMVEC cultured in the presence of steroid hormones, retinoids, thyroid hormone, or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. hMVEC were cultured on gelatin-coated dishes in incubation medium containing 20 ng/mL bFGF and 20 ng/mL TNF-α and 0.01% (vol/vol) DMSO (con) or 1 μmol/L of 17β-estradiol (E2), progesterone (prog), testosterone (test), dexamethasone (dex), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (D3), thyroid hormone (T3), all-trans retinoic acid (at-RA), or 9-cisretinoic acid (9-cis RA). After 2 days, the media were refreshed. After 4 days, RNA was isolated and analyzed (7.5 μg/lane) by Northern blot analysis using ³²-[dCTP]–labeled probes for u-PA, u-PAR, and actin mRNA. For comparison, RNA was also isolated and analyzed from cells before the addition of hormones or vehicle (t = 0). Signals for u-PA and u-PAR were quantified by densitometry and adjusted for the corresponding actin mRNA signals. Data are expressed relative to that found in control (con) cells. Results are means of two independent experiments.