Figure 2. Profibrotic markers were increased in isolated diabetic (db/db) cardiac fibroblasts.

Figure 2a shows type I collagen was increased in isolated fibroblasts from diabetic (db/db) protein secreted into conditioned media and in Figure 2b . type 1 collagen mRNA expression. Figure 2c shows an increased PAI-1 protein expression from cardiac fibroblast conditioned media of diabetic (db/db) fibroblasts. Figure 2d demonstrates an increase in TGF-β protein expression in diabetic (db/db) from cardiac fibroblast conditioned media as measured by commercial ELISA kit. Smooth muscle expression did not change between groups (data not shown). NG = normoglycemic media 5 mM glucose; HG = hyperglycemic media 25 mM glucose (*p<0.05; n = 4–5 independent experiments with 6 hearts per experiment).