Metallothioneins 1 and 2 Modulate Inflammation and Support Remodeling in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy in Mice

Figure 7

Scar formation and inadequate extracellular matrix turnover in M-mice. (a) Planimetric analysis of picrosirius red stainings shows increasing total collagen area after 3 and 7 days (d) in both genotypes. Representative picrosirius red stainings after 7 days of shows (b) interstitial fibrosis (arrows) in WT-heart, in contrast to (c) dense collagen deposition in microinfarctions (arrows, dotted line: microinfarcted area) in M-hearts. (d) Significantly higher collagen deposition in microinfarcted areas in M-hearts after 7 days of compared to WT. Evaluation of mRNA expression of (e) collagen (Col)-III, (f) Col-Iα, (g) metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, (h) MMP-9, and (i) MMP-12 as well as (j) tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP)-1 and (k) TIMP-4. = 8–10/group; scale bars in (b) and (c): 100 μm; RT-qPCR using Taqman, mRNA expression is related to shams and GAPDH using comparative ΔΔCt-method; indicates P ≤ 0.05 between the genotypes; # indicates P ≤ 0.05 versus respective sham.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

(i)

(j)

(k)