Figure 10.

TLR2 signaling induces cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and proliferation of fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells through IL‐1β upregulation. A, Cell surface area cardiomyocytes after 48‐hour stimulation by Pam3CSK4 or control under treatment of anti–IL‐1β antibodies (Ab) or control antibodies. Cell surface areas of 25 cardiomyocytes were measured in specimens with anti‐sarcomeric α‐actinin staining in each group. Scale bars=20 μm. B, Expression levels of atrial natriuretic factor (Anf) and β‐myosin heavy chain (β‐Mhc) in cardiomyocytes after 48‐hour stimulation by Pam3CSK4 or control under treatment of anti–IL‐1β antibodies or control antibodies. Three samples were obtained from cells cultured in 6‐well plates in each group. Expression levels of each gene were normalized to those of GAPDH (Gapdh). C and D, Proliferation of fibroblasts (C) and vascular endothelial cells (D) after 24‐hour stimulation by Pam3CSK4 or control under treatment of anti–IL‐1β antibodies or control antibodies. Cell proliferation was assessed by means of dimethylthiazol‐carboxymethoxyphenyl‐sulfophenyl‐tetrazolium assay and was expressed as the percentage of the absorbance to the well with cells treated by control and control antibodies. Data were obtained from 6 independent experiments in fibroblasts and 5 independent experiments in vascular endothelial cells. *P<0.05 vs control; ^†P<0.05 vs control antibodies. IL indicates interleukin; TLR, Toll‐like receptor.