Figure 8.

Pharmacological modulation of the ERK (extracellular-signal regulated kinases 1/2)-OPN (osteopontin)-axis with mesalazine. A, Representative parasternal long-axis views of native PLK2 (polo-like kinase 2) wild-type (WT) and knockout (KO) and mesalazine-treated KO animals. B, Left atrial diastolic area (WT [n=5], KO [n=7], KO+Mesa [n=7]; results are given as mean±SEM, P value was determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn multiple comparisons test). C, Left atrial systolic area (WT [n=5], KO [n=7], KO+Mesa [n=7]; results are given as mean±SEM, P value was determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn multiple comparisons test). D, Heart rate (WT [n=5], KO [n=7], KO+Mesa [n=7]; results are given as mean±SEM, P value was determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn multiple comparisons test). E, Ejection fraction (WT [n=5], KO [n=7], KO+Mesa [n=7]; results are given as mean±SEM, P value was determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn multiple comparisons test). F, Cardiac OPN gene expression normalized to HPRT as housekeeping gene (WT [n=6], KO [n=6], KO+Mesa [n=7]; results are given as mean±SEM, P value was determined by a 1-Way ANOVA with Tukey multiple comparisons test). G and H, Quantification of atrial fibrosis and representative histological sections (WT [n=9, N=3], KO [n=12, N=4], KO+Mesa [n=12, N=4]; results are given as mean±SEM). P value was determined by a hierarchical model using log-transformed data for normality reasons. AU indicates arbitrary unit—red (fibrotic) area normalized to the total area of the respective section and to PLK2 WT control.