Figure 2.

Silenced SOX2‐OT expression inhibits NLRP3 inflammasomes, reduces ROS levels and myocardial histopathological changes in rats V with VA‐HF. (A) Expression of SOX2‐OT measured by qRT‐PCR 6 weeks after injection of si‐SOX2‐OT. (B–D) Ventricular chambers stained with H&E, Masson trichrome, and Picro Sirius Red 6 weeks after injection of si‐SOX2‐OT (200×). (E) Caspase‐1, NLRP3, ASC, IL‐ 1β, and TGF‐β1 expression measured by western blot analysis 6 weeks after injection of si‐SOX2‐OT. (F) Levels of ROS measured by flow cytometry 6 weeks after injection of si‐SOX2‐OT. GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase; H&E, hematoxylin‐eosin; IL‐1β, interleukin‐1β; NLRP3, nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain‐like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3; qRT‐PCR, quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction; ROS, reactive oxygen species; si‐NC, small interfering negative control; SOX2‐OT, SOX2‐overlapping transcripts; TGF‐β1, transforming growth factor‐β1; VA‐HF, ventricular arrhythmia associated with heart failure. *p < .05 (n = 6 per group)