Fig. 7.

Synthetic apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptide 4F (4F) protects myocardial and kidney mitochondria after myocardial infarction (MI) and after radiocontrast (RC) administration. Representative transmission electron micrograph of hearts and kidneys at magnifications of ×15,000 and ×100,000 in the following groups: MI (rats induced to MI by ligation of left coronary artery); MI+RC (rats induced to MI and receiving, 6 h later, femoral vein injection of iopamidol); MI+4F (rats induced to MI and receiving, 6 h later, intraperitoneal injection of 4F); and MI+RC+4F (rats induced to MI and receiving, 6 h later, femoral vein injection of iopamidol and intraperitoneal injection of 4F). Quantitative analysis of mitochondria is shown. A: in the infarcted area of the heart, mitochondria at the border zone appear to be rounder and smaller in shape; note that the number of mitochondria is higher in 4F-treated animals than in treated animals. B: transmission electron microscopy revealed extensive post-MI damage to mitochondria in proximal tubular cells. Representative samples from treated animals show many elongated mitochondria with structural preservation of cristae structure on the basal side of the tubular cell (n = 6/group, ANOVA).