Fig. 3.

RAGE-ko mice were protected from developing TnI-induced EAM. Wt and RAGE-ko mice were immunized with CFA or TnI. Measurements were done on day 21. (A) hs-TnT levels in serum of immunized mice. (B) Ejection fraction. (C) Histoscore of inflammation and fibrosis in the hearts of immunized mice. (D) Representative macroscopic pictures (Left) and histopathological examinations (Right) of hearts stained with HE and MT. [Scale bars, 3 mm (column 2) and 100 µm (columns 3 and 4).] (E) Myocardial mRNA levels of genes involved in cardiac inflammation. (F) Heart tissues were analyzed by Western blot, and fold increase of phosphorylated compared with total STAT3, JAK2, ERK1/2, and JNK proteins was thereby detected. (G) Electrophoretic mobility shift assay was performed to measure the NF-κB binding activity in myocardium. Specificity of NF-κB binding activity was shown by including a 160-fold molar excess of unlabeled consensus NF-κB oligonucleotide (Cons.). Fold increase of NF-κB compared to Cons. was calculated. Error bars indicate mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.005.