Fig. 4. NC downregulates the level of cardiac autophagy in vivo.

Mice were intraperitoneally injected with different doses of NC once a day for 4 weeks. a The number of autophagic lysosomes in the hearts of mice was observed by transmission electron microscopy (×2500) after 4 weeks of administration, * for autolysosome, ^# for lysosome, ^& for autophagosome. Scale bar: 2 μm. n = 3 mice. b, c The expression levels of autophagy-related proteins LC3 I, LC3 II, LC3 II/LC3 I, and p62 of hearts in mice were determined by Western blot analysis after 4 weeks of administration. d Immunohistochemical staining (×200) of ATG4B of the cross-section of hearts in mice was observed under a microscope, and ATG4B positive area was statistically analyzed. Scale bar: 50 μm. e Relative expression level of ATG4B protein in vivo was measured by Western blot analysis. n = 5 mice. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 vs Control.