Fig. 5
Lack of Tcf21 suppresses cardiac fibrosis and maintains cardiac function. (a) Overview of isoproterenol (ISO) injection schedule. (b) Cardiac fibrosis observed at each time point. Masson trichrome staining was perfoemed. Before ISO injection and 3, 7, and 28 days after the injection. Scale bar, 1 mm. Yellow arrowheads indicated fibrotic area. (c) Fibrosis area from Masson trichrome staining normalized with cardiac cross-sectional area (biologically n = 3 ~ 4). (d) Immunostaining for Ki67. Scale bar, 50 µm. Arrows indicate Ki67-positive cells. (e) Change in the number of Ki67-positive cells, 7 days after ISO injection (biologically n = 5). (f) M-mode echocardiographic view, one week after ISO injection. (g) Changes in left ventricular fractional shortening (FS) after ISO injection. Dunnett’s multiple comparison test was performed to compare baseline data (biologically Control n = 14, iKO n = 7). (h) Protocol for hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic injury. (i) Masson trichrome-stained heart Sections 16 weeks after diabetes induction with HFD. Arrows show fibrosis. Scale bar, 50 µm. (j) Fibrosis area calculated from Masson trichrome staining normalized by the cardiac cross-sectional area (biologically n = 4 and 3). Student’s t-test was performed.
