Figure 3.

LUCAT1 knockdown impairs MSC-mediated cardioprotection

(A) Representative images of MSCs in the hearts of the MSC^sh−Ctr and MSC^sh−LUCAT1 groups at 3 days post-MI. The heart tissue was immunostained for GFP (green), troponin T (red), and DAPI (blue) (bar, 100 μm; enlarged bar, 10 μm). (B) Quantification of MSCs in the hearts of the MSC^sh−Ctr and MSC^sh−LUCAT1 groups at 3 days post-MI was performed based on the number of GFP-positive cells per high-power field (HPF) (n = 5 per group). (C) Representative echocardiographic images demonstrated changes in cardiac function in each group, including the Sham, DMEM, MSC^sh−Ctr, and MSC^sh−LUCAT1 groups, at 28 days post-MI. (D and E) EF (D) and FS (E) were quantified by echocardiographic imaging (n = 5 per group). (F) Masson staining at 28 days post-MI indicated the scar size in MI hearts. (G) Quantitative analysis of the fibrotic size percentage at 28 days post-MI (n = 5 per group). All data are expressed as the mean ± SEM. ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01, ∗∗∗p < 0.001.