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Figure 2. CARD10 deficiency attenuated cardiac fibrosis and improved heart function and angiogenesis following MI. Representative images of HE (A) and Masson staining (B), with their respective analyses (C and D, respectively), of cardiac tissue obtained from Card10-/- and WT mice four weeks after MI or sham surgery (biological replicates n = 3, technical replicates 1). TTC staining (E) and its analysis (F) of cardiac tissue obtained from Card10-/- and WT mice four weeks after MI or sham surgery (biological replicates n = 3, technical replicates 1). Echocardiography was performed using the Vevo2100 micro-ultrasound system at 4 weeks after MI. Echocardiographic analysis: representative parasternal long-axis views and M-mode images (G) and quantification (H) of EF, FS, LVIDd, LVIDs, heart weight, and heart volume normalized by tibial length 4 weeks after MI or sham operation in Card10-/- and WT mice (WT control: n = 4; Card10-/- control: n = 3; WT MI: n = 7; Card10-/- MI: n = 8). Representative IF staining of cardiomyocyte marker troponin I and endothelial cell marker VWF (I), with its corresponding quantification (J), or of cardiomyocyte marker troponin I and vascular smooth muscle cell marker α-SMA (K), with its corresponding quantification (L), in cardiac tissue obtained from Card10-/- and WT mice 4 weeks after MI or sham surgery (biological replicates n = 3, technical replicates 1). Objective: 10×. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. Comparisons between different groups were performed using the two-way ANOVA followed by Šídák’s multiple comparisons test. *P < 0.05 WT MI vs. Card10-/- MI. CARD10: Caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 10; MI: myocardial infarction; HE: hematoxylin and eosin; TTC: triphenyltetrazolium chloride; WT: wildtype; EF: ejection fraction; FS: fractional shortening; LVIDd: left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole; LVIDs: left ventricular internal diameter at end-systole; IF: immunofluorescence; VWF: von Willebrand factor; α-SMA: α-smooth muscle actin; SEM: standard error of the mean; ANOVA: analysis of variance.
