Inactivation of Notch1-TGF-β-Smads Signaling Pathway by Atorvastatin Improves Cardiac Function and Hemodynamic Performance in Acute Myocardial Infarction Rats

Figures

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  Fig. 1.. a–d AMI modeling process of the rats. AMI, acute myocardial infarction.

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  Fig. 2.. The cardiac function assessed by echocardiography. Changes of the left ventricular anterior wall end-diastolic thickness (LVAWd, mm) (a), the systolic left ventricular anterior wall thickness (LVAWs, mm) (b), the ejection fraction (EF, %) (c), the fractional shortening (FS, %) (d), aortic valve peak (AV peak, mm Hg) (e), the left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole (LVIDd, mm) (f), the LV internal dimension at end-systole (LVIDs, mm) (g), the LV end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) (μL) (h), the LV end-systolic dimension (LVESd) (μL) (i), the LV posterior wall end-diastolic thickness (LVPWd, mm) (j), and the LV posterior wall end-systolic thickness (LVPWs, mm) (k). *p < 0.001 vs. sham group; #p < 0.05 vs. AMI group; ^p < 0.05 vs. atorvastatin group.

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  Fig. 3.. Terminal hemodynamics of AMI rats after atorvastatin or losartan treatment. Changes of the cardiac output per minute (CO, μL/min) (a), stroke volume (SV, μL) (b), maximum rate of increase in left ventricular pressure (dp/dtmax, mm Hg/s) (c), and maximum rate of decrease in left ventricular pressure (dp/dtmin, mm Hg/s) (d). *p < 0.001 vs. sham group; #p < 0.05 vs. AMI group; ^p < 0.05 vs. atorvastatin group. n = 10.

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  Fig. 4.. Immunoblot analysis of notch1, smad2, collagen I, collagen III, and galectin-3. a Western blot of immunoprecipitated tissue samples using the antibodies against notch1, smad2, collagen I, collagen III, and gal-3 (GAPDH was an internal reference). b Quantitative analysis of notch1, smad2, collagen I, collagen III, and gal-3 levels. *p < 0.001 vs. sham group; #p < 0.05 vs. AMI group; ^p < 0.05 vs. atorvastatin group.

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  Fig. 5.. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed the relative expression of myocardial Notch1, TGF-β, smad2, and smad7. *p < 0.001 vs. sham group; #p < 0.05 vs. AMI group; ^p < 0.05 vs. atorvastatin group.

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  Fig. 6.. Histopathological changes of heart tissues from AMI rats treated by atorvastatin and losartan. a Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining (×40 magnification). b Myocardial Masson staining (×40 magnification), collagen (blue), muscle fibers (red), nucleus (blue-black).

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  Fig. 7.. Myocardial immunohistochemical changes of notch1, TGF-β, smad2. a Immunohistochemical reaction with notch1, TGF-β, and smad2. b Percentage of positive area of myocardial notch1, TGF-β, and smad2. *p < 0.001 vs. sham group; #p < 0.05 vs. AMI group.