Fig. 6

RAP1 knockdown abolishes cardiac fibrosis induced by nCTRP9. (A) Fibroblast-specific knockdown of Rap1 mice was established by administrating adeno-associated virus (type 9) carrying the shRNA of Rap1 via tail vein injection. nCTRP9 was administered after MI surgery for 4 weeks. (B) Cardiac ejection fraction (EF) of mice post MI surgery. n = 6. (C) Infarct size of MI mice heart was detected after surgery for 4 weeks. n = 6. (D) Heart weight (HW) to tibial length (TL) ratio. n = 6. (E) Staining with wheat germ agglutinin was done to determine the mean cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes. n = 6. F-G. Cardiac fibrosis in Sham and MI mice heart detected by Masson staining of border region and distant region. n = 6. H. Rap1 levels in MI mice heart. n = 4. I. Knockdown of Rap1 attenuated phosphorylation increase by nCTRP9 in MI mice heart. n = 4. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01