Figure 5.

The impact of Nrf2KO on CR-Atg5KO–exaggerated cardiomyopathy associated with STZ-induced diabetes in mice. T1D in littermates of adult female MerCreMer⁺ Ctl and MerCreMer⁺::Atg5^fl/fl (CR-Atg5KO) mice on a C57BL/6J genetic background after tamoxifen induction was induced by i.p. injection of STZ for 9 months, and T1D-induced cardiomyopathy was assessed as described in research design and methods. A: Cardiac function. *P < 0.05 vs. vehicle (Veh) Ctl in the same groups; #P < 0.05 between indicated groups. B: Tamoxifen-induced CR-Atg5KO is confirmed by Western blot analysis with use of whole LV tissue lysates at the experimental end point. C: Cardiac remodeling, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Cardiomyocyte sizes and cardiac fibrosis, apoptosis, and oxidative stress were assessed in LVs of MerCreMer⁺ Ctl, MerCreMer⁺::Atg5^fl/fl (Atg5KO), and MerCreMer⁺::Atg5fl/fl::Nrf2KO (Duo-KO) mice after tamoxifen induction at 9 months after onset of diabetes. Animal numbers of each group are shown in the inserted table. *P < 0.05 between indicated groups.