Figure 2: NC prevented alterations of cellular contractility and Ca²⁺ handling promoted by repeated-dose administration of free LYC.

(A) Typical traces of sarcomere shortening (top panel) and Ca²⁺ transient (bottom panel) measured in single cardiomyocytes, field stimulated at 1 Hz, from control and LYC groups after 20 days of treatment. Sarcomere length (SL). (B–D) Averaged effects of 20 days of treatment for the Ctrl, LYC, NC and LYC-NC groups under basal and acute stress conditions (Iso 10 nM) on sarcomere shortening (B), Ca²⁺ transient amplitude (C) and diastolic Ca²⁺ level expressed as the ratio of fluorescence at 405 and 480 nm; a.u.: arbitrary units (D) *p < 0.05, LYC vs. other groups under the same conditions; ^#p < 0.05, basal vs. stress; 10–23 cells per group.