MAPK3 and brain ischemia: Therefore, we aimed to examine early changes in the expression of inflammatory signals that are known to be involved in cerebral ischemia; first; to show enhanced expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (iNOS and cytokines) after transient MCAO in cerebrovascular SMCs, and second, to evaluate if a specific transcription MEK/ERK1/2 inhibitor (U0126) could modify this enhanced expression, and to compare this to a combined inhibition of upregulated angiotensin AT1 and endothelin ETA receptors.