The expression of lncRNA RMRP in AAB-induced cardiac fibrosis. (A) Accumulation of collagen was assessed by Masson staining (magnification, ×200). (B) The mRNA expression of α-SMA and Collagen I in myocardial tissue was measured using RT-qPCR. (C) The protein expression of α-SMA in myocardial tissue was determined using western blotting. (D) The expression of RMRP in myocardial tissue was assessed using RT-qPCR. (E) The expression of RMRP in cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes isolated from rat hearts was measured using RT-qPCR. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM. n=8 animals for each group. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 vs. Sham. (F) The expression of RMRP in Ang-II-treated cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes was measured using RT-qPCR. Data are mean ± SEM. n=3 independent experiments. #P<0.05, ##P<0.01 vs. Con. AAB, abdominal aortic banding; SEM, standard error of the mean; RT-q, reverse transcription-quantitative; Con, control; α-SMA, α-smooth muscle actin; RMRP, RNA component of mitochondrial RNA processing endoribonuclease; Ang II, angiotensin II.