Figure 1.

Activation or blockade of the GABA_A receptor aggravates or attenuates cardiac dysfunction in pressure-overload hypertrophy mice. Mice underwent sham or transverse aortic constriction (TAC) operation; mice in the TAC group were treated with intraperitoneal injections once a day of NaCl, topiramate or bicuculline for 3 weeks. (A) Representative left ventricular echocardiographic recordings at day 28 post-TAC. Short-axis M-mode (left) and long-axis B-mode (right). Arrows and lines marked (left ventricle internal dimension) LVID in systole (dashed) and diastole (firm). (B) Ejection fraction (%EF), (C) fractional shortening (%FS), (D) left-ventricular mass (LV mass), (E) left ventricle internal dimension in systole (LVIDs), and (F) in diastole (LVIDd) in TAC- and sham-operated mice at day 28 post-TAC. (G) Heart weight/body weight (HW/BW) in indicated groups at day 28 post-TAC. Data showed the mean ± SEM of %FS, %EF, LV mass, LVIDd, LVIDs and HW/BW for each experimental group, by one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test. (H) Compared with vehicle, the survival rate increased in bicuculline-treated TAC group during 30 days follow-up post-TAC (n = 20 in each group). For topiramate treatment, *P < 0.05 vs. vehicle. For bicuculline treatment, ^#P < 0.05 vs. vehicle. NaCl-treated TAC mice (for simplicity, vehicle). (n = 4–6 in sham group, n = 10 in TAC-operated group).