Figure 4.

Effect of the GC-A transgene on the ratios of heart weight to body weight and cardiomyocyte area to body weight. Heart-to-body weight ratios (a) and cardiomyocyte areas (b) of wild-type (WT), transgenic (TG), GC-A null (Null), and GC-A null mice with cardiac expression of the GC-A gene (Null + TG) are shown. The heart-to-body weight ratio of GC-A null mice was significantly increased compared with that of wild-type mice. Cardiac overexpression of GC-A also significantly decreased the ratio of heart weight to body weight in the wild-type background. The average areas of isolated cardiomyocytes from GC-A null hearts were significantly increased compared with those of wild-type hearts. Transgenic overexpression of GC-A in cardiomyocytes decreased the area in both wild-type and GC-A null genetic backgrounds.