Fig. 2.

GR is required for glucocorticoid-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. H9C2 cardiomyocytes were stably transfected with control shRNA (Consh) or GR shRNA (GRsh) and treated with or without Dex for 72 h. A, Representative confocal microscopic images of phalloidin-stained cells. Scale bar, 45 μm. B, Cell volumes were measured by flow cytometry and are presented as percent volume change relative to the control cells. C, The mRNA levels for GR and the cardiac hypertrophic marker genes ANF, β-MHC, and SKA were determined by real-time PCR and normalized to cyclophilin B. D, GR and SKA protein levels were measured by immunoblotting. The lower panel shows quantification of SKA protein normalized to β-actin. Data represent the mean ± sd from three independent experiments. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001 vs. controls.