FIGURE 10.

The effects of GATA4‐S105A overexpression by intramyocardial gene delivery after myocardial infarction in rats. (A) RT‐qPCR quantification of GATA4 mRNA levels in LVs of sham‐operated and MI animals at 3 d, 1 and 2 wks. The values were normalized to GAPDH and are expressed as relative to sham LacZ control groups at each time point. The bars represent average values + SD (n = 5‐8/group). * P ≤ .05, ** P ≤ .01, *** P ≤ .005 Sham GATA4‐S105A compared to LacZ group and # P ≤ .05 MI GATA4‐S105A compared to LacZ. (B‐E) Echocardiographic measurements were performed at 2 wks after infarction and gene transfer. LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; LVFS = left ventricular fractional shortening; LVPW = left ventricular posterior wall thickness; LVID = left ventricular internal diameter. (F‐I) Immunohistochemistry studies for apoptosis (TUNEL, F), c‐kit‐positive cells (G), fibrosis (Masson's trichrome, H) and angiogenesis (vWF, I) from LV histological sections at 2 wks after MI and injection of the adenoviral constructs. (J) The infarct area was measured from 3 d and 2 wks histological LV sections stained with Masson's trichrome. The results are represented as average ± SD (n = 5‐8/group)