Fig. 6.

Integrin overexpression reduces Thbs3-mediated membrane instability and disease. a Schematic of the breeding used to generate combinatorial Thbs3 DTG, α7β1D integrin TG mice. b Representative Western blots for Thbs3 and the indicated integrin proteins from heart sarcolemma protein extracts from tTA, Thbs3 DTG, α7β1D integrin TG and Thbs3 DTG/ α7β1D integrin TG mice. The α1Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase served as loading control. c Quantification of EBD positive area from cardiac histological sections after Iso (300 mg/kg) injection in Thbs3 DTG, α7β1D integrin TG, Thbs4 DTG, and Thbs3 DTG/ α7β1D integrin TG mice. d Representative histological images of heart sections from tTA, Thbs3 DTG and Thbs3 DTG/ α7β1D integrin TG mice stained with WGA-FITC (green) after Iso injection (300 mg/kg). EBD is shown as red fluorescence. Scale bars are 300 μm. e Fractional shortening (FS) percentage as determined by echocardiography following 2 weeks of continuous Iso infusion (60 mg/kg/day) or PBS vehicle controls. Number of mice analyzed is shown within each histogram in c, e. *P < 0.05 versus vehicle treated; #<0.05 versus Thbs3 DTG with Iso. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Turkey multiple comparisons test. Error bars are +/− standard error of the mean