Cardioprotective potential of shikonin in cardiac hypertrophy is mediated through PKM2/c-Myc/PTBP1/HIF-1α signaling pathway

Figures

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  Figure 1. Structural representation of shikonin

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  Figure 2. Experimental design and treatment schedule

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  Figure 3. Effect of shikonin on electrocardiogram and hemodynamic parameters. (a) Heart rate, (b) RR interval, (c) ST height, (d) systolic blood pressure, (e) left ventricular systolic pressure, (f) +dP/dt, and (g) Tau. The values are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 versus control; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01, ###P < 0.001 versus hypertrophy group (n = 8)

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  Figure 4. Effect of shikonin on hypertrophic index parameters. (a) Heart weight, (b) heart weight/body weight ratio, (c) cardiac atrial natriuretic peptide, (d) cardiac B-type natriuretic peptide, and (e) hematoxylin and eosin staining. The values are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean. ***P < 0.001 versus control and #P < 0.05 versus hypertrophy group (a and b: n = 8 and c-e: n = 3–4)

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  Figure 5. Shikonin suppresses the inflammatory markers and cardiac fibrosis. (a) Myeloperoxidase activity, (b) interleukin (IL)-6, (c) tumor necrosis factor-α, (d) IL-1β, (e and f) representative images of interstitial fibrosis, perivascular fibrosis, and (g and h) analysis bar graph of interstitial fibrosis and perivascular fibrosis. The values are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 versus control; #P < 0.05 versus hypertrophy group (for inflammatory markers, n = 3–4 and for cardiac fibrosis, n = 4 images each 3 animals)

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  Figure 6. Shikonin modulates PKM2/c-Myc/PTBP1/HIF-1α pathway. (a) Representative of immunoblotting and (b) analysis graphs of immunoblotting of PKM2, PKM1, normalized PKM2/PKM1 ratio, hnRNPA1, PTBP1, c-Myc, and HIF-1α. The values are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 versus control; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 versus hypertrophy group (n = 3–4)