Fig. 1.

Lower early post-MI survival in WT than in Hmox1-deficient mice. a Flow cytometric detection of cells labeled with pimonidazole hydrochloride in the heart 90 min after LAD ligation (n = 4 mice/group). b ELISA for cTnI in plasma one day after LAD ligation (sham: n = 26 mice/group, MI: n = 36 mice/group). c Kaplan–Meier survival curves of Hmox1^+/+ and Hmox1^−/− mice subjected to sham and MI surgeries (sham: n = 18 mice/group, MI: n = 32–37 mice/group). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.0001; *vs. appropriate sham control, ^#vs. other MI. d–f Photographs of an autopsied mouse that died due to cardiac rupture. d The chest cavity was filled with a large amount of clotted blood. e, f Photographs of the heart with a left ventricular perforation in the area of apex. MI myocardial infarction, LAD left anterior descending coronary artery, LVFWR left ventricular free wall rupture. g Western blot analysis of collagen type I in heart on day 4 after surgery