Fig. 3.

BAG3 levels in failing murine hearts. Wild-type c57BL/6 mice underwent trans-aortic banding (TAC) as has been described previously [119]. Eighteen weeks after TAC, left ventricular contractility was measured using a conductance catheter inserted into the left ventricle through a carotid approach as described previously. Heart weight to body weight ratios were calculated after killing (a). Contractility was measured during intravenous infusion of increasing doses of catecholamine (b). b Sham-operated hatched line = control; solid line = TAC mice. Hearts were then frozen for subsequent measurement of BAG3 levels. Myocardial proteins were extracted as we have described previously separated by gel electrophoresis and probed with a murine BAG3 antibody. As seen in c, there was a significant decrease in BAG3 levels by western blotting in TAC mice when compared with sham-operated controls. A representative western blot is seen in d