Effects of Wenxin Keli on Cardiac Hypertrophy and Arrhythmia via Regulation of the Calcium/Calmodulin Dependent Kinase II Signaling Pathway

Figures

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  Figure 1. (a) Representative images of hearts from the Sham (n = 5), TAC (n = 5), KN93 (n = 5), and WXKL (n = 5) groups at 3 and 9 weeks after treatment. Scale: 1 cm. (b) Representative images of the largest cross-section of the heart from each group at 3 and 9 weeks (n = 5). (c) Representative images of left ventricular apical biopsy of each group at 3 and 9 weeks (H&E staining at 400x magnification; n = 5). (d) Ratios of heart weight to body weight (HW/BW) are shown (n = 5). (e) Ratios of pulmonary weight to body weight (PW/BW) are shown at 3 and 9 weeks. (n = 5). ▲P < 0.05 and ▲▲P < 0.01 versus the Sham group. #P < 0.05 versus the TAC group. ∗P < 0.05 versus the TAC group at 3 weeks.

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  Figure 2. (a) Typical echocardiography images from the Sham (n = 10), TAC (n = 10), KN93 (n = 10), and WXKL (n = 10) groups at 3 and 9 weeks. Scale: 0.5 cm. (b) LVPWS of each group (n = 10). (c) FS% of each group (n = 10). (d) LVIDs of each group (n = 10). ▲P < 0.05 versus the Sham group. #P < 0.05 versus the TAC group. ∗P < 0.05 versus corresponding values at 3 weeks.

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  Figure 3. Single ventricular myocytes from the Sham (a), TAC (b), KN93 (c), and WXKL (d) group (400x).

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  Figure 4. Representative images of (a) Masson's trichrome staining method to evaluate cardiac fibrosis of each group at 3 and 9 weeks (n = 5), (b) Sirius Red staining to evaluate cardiac fibrosis of each group at 3 and 9 weeks (n = 5), and (c) Sirius Red staining to evaluate cardiac fibrosis of each group at 3 and 9 weeks under polarized light (n = 5).

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  Figure 5. The ultrastructure of myocardial cells in each group at 3 and 9 weeks (n = 5) (Magnification 10,000x).

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  Figure 6. Representative AP traces recorded from each group. (a) APs of each group treated for 3 weeks (n = 5). (b) APs of each group treated for 9 weeks (n = 5). (c) APD90 of each group after treatment with KN93 and 5 g/L WXKL for 3 weeks and 9 weeks (n = 5). ∗∗P < 0.01 versus the Sham group. #P < 0.05 and ##P < 0.01 versus the TAC group. ▲P < 0.05 versus the TAC group after 3 weeks.

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  Figure 7. (a) The expression of CaMK II and related proteins in the CaMK II signal transduction pathway in the left ventricular areas after treatment for 3 and 9 weeks were analyzed by western blotting. (b) The expression of CaMK II (n = 5). (c) The expression of p-CaMK II (Thr-286) (n = 5). (d) The expression of PLB (n = 5). (e) The expression of p-PLB (Thr-17) (n = 5). (f) The expression of RyR2 (n = 5). (g) The expression of p-RyR2 (Ser-2814) (n = 5). ∗P < 0.05 and ∗∗P < 0.01 versus the Sham group. #P < 0.05 and ##P < 0.01 versus the TAC group.