Nuclear activity as heterochromatin mass by electron microscopy in human cardiomyocytes.

<p>Cross-sectional micrographs of a nucleus in control (A), ischemic (B) and dilated (C) samples, showing a more heterochromatin condensation (hc) in controls, overall perinuclear chromatin (asterisk). N indicates nucleus. Bar represents: 400 nm.</p

Effect of heart failure aetiology on GATA4 synthesis.

<p>As shown protein levels of GATA4 were significant increased in both aetiologies, ischemic (ICM) and dilated (DCM) cardiomyopathies compared to controls (CNT). Values are expressed as mean ± SEM of five independent experiments and normalized to β-actin and finally to CNT myocardium, which was also normalized to β-actin before. *p<0.05 versus CNT.</p

Microscopic analysis of the effect of ICM aetiology on NFAT1 nuclear translocation in human cardiomyocytes.

<p>Representative fluorescence micrographs for NFAT1 in CNT (A–C) and ICM (D–F) samples. All the micrographs correspond to four independent experiments. The bar represents 10 µm. In micrograph G, Bar graph comparing the fluorescence intensity in cytoplasm and into nucleus of NFAT1, in CNT and ICM groups. The values from the cytoplasm were set to 100. The data are expressed as mean ± SEM of five experiments. ICM, ischemic cardiomyopathy; DCM, dilated cardiomyopathy; CNT, control. ***p<0.001 versus cytoplasm.</p

Western blots showing increased CaM, CaN and NCX1 levels, and decreased SERCA2 levels in human heart failure.

<p>CaM (A), CaN (B), NCX1 (C) and SERCA2 (D) in left ventricular myocardium from patients with ICM (n = 43) and DCM (n = 31) versus CNT group <b><u>(n = 9).</u></b> The data are expressed as means ± SEM of five independent experiments. Values are normalized to β-actin and finally to CNT group, which was also normalized to β-actin before. CaM, calmodulin; CaN, calcineurin; CNT, control; DCM, dilated cardiomyopathy; ICM, ischemic cardiomyopathy. *p<0.05 versus control.</p

Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics according to heart failure aetiology.

<p>Duration of disease from diagnosis of heart failure until heart transplant.</p>*<p>p<0.05;</p>**<p>p<0.01;</p>***<p>p<0.001. BMI = body mass index; DCM = dilated cardiomyopathy; EF = ejection fraction; FS = fractional shortening; ICM = ischemic cardiomyopathy; LVEDD = left ventricular end diastolic diameter; LVESD = left ventricular end systolic diameter; Na = sodium; NYHA = New York Heart Association.</p

Relationship between cardiac transcriptional factors in heart failure human hearts.

<p>(A) Correlation plots between NFAT1 with MEF2 and GATA4 in pathological samples (n = 74).</p

Protein levels of NFAT1 transcriptional factor in cytosolic and nuclear fractions.

<p>As shown, both distribution of NFAT1, cytoplasm (A) and nucleus (B) were increased in ICM (n = 43), but only cytosolic fraction was increased in DCM (n = 30) compared to CNT <b><u>(n = 9).</u></b> Values are expressed as mean ± SEM of five independent experiments and normalized to β-actin and finally to CNT myocardium, which was also normalized to β-actin before. ICM, ischemic cardiomyopathy; DCM, dilated cardiomyopathy; CNT, control. **p<0.01 vs CNT and ***p<0.001 vs. CNT.</p