Empagliflozin attenuates ventricular fibrillation postmyocardial infarction associated with reduced transforming growth factor- β 1/Smad3 signaling and miR-181a expression

Figures

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  Figure 1.. Signs of successful modeling. (a) The myocardial color changed from red to white and (b) S-T segment was elevated.

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  Figure 2.. Structural changes in the heart measured using M-mode echocardiography and electrical stimulation results. (a) Images of the ultrasonic cardiogram. (b) Cardiac echocardiography parameters of the experimental rats, including LVIDd, LVIDs, EF (%), LVFS (%), (n = 4 per group). (c) Electrocardiogram of ventricular fibrillation after electrical stimulation and the ventricular fibrillation threshold of MI rats. The data are presented as the mean ± SD. n1 (sham group) = 4; n2 (MI group) = 10; n3 (low-EMPA group) = 4; n4 (high-EMPA group) = 4. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed. # Means p ≤ 0.05 vs. sham group, *Means p ≤ 0.05 vs. MI group. ANOVA: analysis of variance; EF: ejection fraction; LVIDd: left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole; LVIDs: left ventricular internal diameter at end-systole; LVFS: left ventricular fractional shortening; VF: ventricular fibrillation.

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  Figure 3.. Empagliflozin (EMPA) ameliorated myocardial inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis in MI rats and regulated the expression of miR-181a, TGF-β and Smad3. (a) Representative images of the left ventricle stained with hematoxylin and eosin. (b) Masson’s trichrome staining of myocardial fibrosis and CVF. (c) Relative miR-181a mRNA expression and (d) Western blotting of TGF-β and Smad3. The data are presented as the mean ± SD. n1 (sham group) = 4; n2 (MI group) = 10; n3 (low-EMPA group) = 4; n4 (high-EMPA group) = 4. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed. # Means p < 0.05 vs. sham group, * Means p < 0.05 vs. MI group. ANOVA: analysis of variance; CVF: collagen volume fraction; MI: myocardial infarction; TGF-β: transforming growth factor β.