Table 1.

Primer sequences (5′ to 3′)

Target Gene	Forward Primer	Reverse Primer
18S	CGG CTA CCA CAT CCA AGG AA	AGC TGG AAT TAC CGC GGC
BNP	GCA GCA GCC TCT ATC CTC TC	TCC TGT ATC CCT GGC AGT TC
Collagen I	GCG TCT CTT CCC TCC CTA GT	GTC TCC CTT GGG TCC CTA TC
Collagen III	TCT GAA TTC CCC AGC AAA AG	CCA TTG AGA CAT TTG AAA TTG G
MMP-2	ATG ACG GAG AGG CTG ACA TC	CCA TAC TTC ACA CGC ACC AC
MMP-9	TCG TGG TTC CGA CCT ACT TC	GTT ACC GTC CCG AGT GAA GA
TIMP-1	GTC ATC AGG GCC AAG TTT GT	AAG TAT CCG CAG ACG CTC TC
TIMP-4	GAC GGA AAG GTC TTC ATC CA	ACA TAA TGC TGG GCC TGG TA
Fibronectin	TGA AGA ACC CTT GCA GTT CC	GCT TAG GCC TTG GTC AAC AG
Elastin	TGC AGT GGT ACC TCA ACT CG	CTT GGC CTT GAC TCC TGT TC

BNP, brain natriuretic peptide; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; TIMP, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase.