Fig. 4: Involvement of adiponectin in cardiac protection mediated by unsorted bone marrow cells.

A The mRNA level of adiponectin (Adipoq) was assessed in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes treated with vehicle (veh) or Retnla (500 ng/mL) for 24 h. B Adiponectin (APN) protein expression was determined by western blot in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. C Endogenous APN expression was assessed by immunofluorescence staining in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes treated with veh (n = 12) or Retnla (500 ng/mL, n = 15). Adiponectin-expressing cardiomyocytes were counted and quantified. Scale bars, 200 μm. D Relative gene expression analysis of resistin (Retn), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 12a (TNFRSF12A), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 3 (CDKN3), cyclin D2 (CCND2), and cyclin E1 (CCNE1) in cardiomyocytes treated with veh or Retnla (500 ng/mL) for 24 h. E, F AdipoRon, adiponectin receptor agonist that binds adiponectin receptor 1 and 2, partially restored the transcriptional levels of adiponectin and p21 in Retnla-treated cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts. G APN protein expression was determined in the myocardium. Scale bar, 400 μm. H Circulating level of APN was measured in WT mice (n = 8) and KO mice (n = 8) at 0 day, 2 days, and 14 days after MI. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01, ###P < 0.001 (by Student’s t test or one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test).