Fig. 7: Genetic overexpression of ZEB2 protects the heart from ischemic damage.

a Study design. b-c mRNA expression level of b Zeb2, c eGFP (CT values) in Zeb2 WT and Zeb2 cTg mice post-surgery. d Immunofluorescence for ZEB2, TNNT2 and DAPI of histological sections of hearts from Zeb2 WT and Zeb2 cTg mice 14 dpMI. e-f Quantification of e fractional shortening (FS) and f left ventricular internal diameter in systole (LVIDs) from Zeb2 WT and Zeb2 cTg mice post-surgery. g Representative images of cardiac four-chamber view (top panel) and sections of infarcted areas stained with H&E (second panel) or SR (third panel). h, i mRNA and j, k protein expression levels of Tmsb4 and Ptma in Zeb2 WT and Zeb2 cTg mice post-surgery. l-m Immunofluorescence for PECAM1, TNNT2, and DAPI in l remote and m border zone in hearts from Zeb2 WT and Zeb2 cTg mice post-MI. n mRNA expression levels of Pecam1 in hearts from Zeb2 WT and Zeb2 cTg mice post-surgery. o-p quantification of PECAM1 positive blood vessel area in histological sections from (l-m). q WGA staining to measure cardiomyocyte surface area and r its quantification. Green dashed line indicates sham Zeb2 WT control. H&E indicates Hematoxylin and Eosin, SR indicates Sirius Red. White arrows show ZEB2 positive cardiomyocytes. Data are represented as mean ± SEM, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, each dot indicates a biological replicate, n is indicated in figures. Comparison of two groups was performed with the unpaired, two-tailed Student’s t-test between Zeb2 cTg vs Zeb2 WT post-MI (b, c, e, f, h, i, n, o, p, r). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.