Increased Expression and Activity of PARP1 and PKM2 in dRV From Patients With PAH
(A) Representative images and corresponding quantification of human right ventricular (RV) sections from control subjects (CTRL) (n = 5-8), compensated right ventricle (cRV; n = 7 or 8), and decompensated right ventricle (dRV; n = 11) patients with PAH stained with hematoxylin and eosin (cardiomyocyte surface area [CSA]), Masson’s trichrome (fibrosis), cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) (infiltration of macrophages), or terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL; apoptosis) or double-labeled for troponin T (TnT) and either poly(adenosine diphosphate–ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) or poly(adenosine diphosphate–ribose) (PAR). (B) Representative western blots and quantification of PARP1, phosphorylated pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme 2 (pPKM2), PKM2, and pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme 1 (PKM1) in human right ventricle from control subjects (n = 20), cRV (n = 11), and dRV (n = 10 or 11) patients with PAH. Scale bars, 50 mm. Arrowheads denote positive cells. ∗P < 0.05, ∗∗P < 0.01, and ∗∗∗P < 0.001. Scatter dot plots show individual values and mean ± SEM. Comparisons were made using 1-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey multiple-comparison tests. AB = amido black; CM = cardiomyocyte.