Esophagitis and IL-1$\beta$-induced alteration of MAP kinase activity in esophageal smooth muscle

We investigated whether experimental esophagitis and IL-1$\beta$ could induce the activation of MAP kinases in esophageal smooth muscle. With two models of experimental esophagitis, we assessed the activity of p38 MAP kinase, p44/42 MAP kinase and JNK. In feline acute experimental esophagitis, immunoblotting of normal and esophagitis-induced smooth muscle with each types of MAP kinase antibodies revealed the slight increase of phosphorylated form of p38 MAP kinase, especially in membrane fraction. (omitted)