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Eiki Takimoto, Hunter C. Champion, Manxiang Li, Shuxun Ren, E. Rene Rodriguez, Barbara Tavazzi, Giuseppe Lazzarino, Nazareno Paolocci, Kathleen L. Gabrielson, Yibin Wang, David A. Kass
Published in Volume 115, Issue 5
J Clin Invest. 2005; 115(5):1221–1231 doi:10.1172/JCI21968
Abstract | Full text | PDF
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Figure 7

BH4, but not H4N, prevented NOS3 uncoupling, ROS generation, and cardiac remodeling induced by 3-week TAC. (A) Formalin-fixed (10%) hearts (upper panel) and histology (PAS methenamine; lower panel) showing concentric hypertrophy with BH4 cotreatment versus dilative hypertrophy with H4N accompanied by increased interstitial fibrosis. Scale bars: 10 mm (upper panel); 100 μm (lower panel). (B and C) Representative M-mode echocardiography (B) and PV loops (C) reveal corresponding functional improvement in BH4-treated, but not H4N-treated, hearts. (D) NOS3 dimer was preserved in BH4-treated, but not H4N-treated, hearts. (E) NOS Ca2+-dependent activity was restored by BH4 but not H4N treatment. *P < 0.05 versus sham. (F) Luminol chemiluminescence shows a decline in O2 generation in WT TAC hearts treated with BH4 but minimal effect with H4N treatment. *P < 0.05 versus sham. Lower graph shows the percent of luminol signal blunted by coincubation with L-NAME, confirming reduced NOS-derived O2 in BH4-treated hearts. **P < 0.05 versus BH4-treated. (G) Confocal images of DHE-stained (red) and DCF-stained (green) myocardium from WT TAC hearts treated with either BH4 or H4N. Scale bar: 50 μm. (H) Gelatin zymography for hearts with BH4 or H4N treatment and quantification results. The increased gel lysis in WT TAC hearts was reduced by BH4, but not H4N, therapy. *P < 0.05 versus sham.