Fig. 1.

Experimental protocols. A: in vivo. Three experimental groups: control (CTRL) received no monocrotaline (MCT) injection at day 0. RVF received MCT injection at day 0 and was left untreated to develop severe right ventricular failure. E2 received 10-day estrogen (E2) treatment beginning day 21 post-MCT injection, and left for an additional 12 days after the end of therapy. B: in vitro. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) and fibroblasts were cocultured, starved for 24 h, and then treated with ANG II (ANG II group); ANG II with E2, estrogen receptor-β agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN), or estrogen receptor-α agonist 4,4′,4″-(4-propyl-[1H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl)trisphenol (PPT) (ANG II + E2, ANG II + DPN, and ANG II + PPT groups, respectively); or left untreated (CTRL).