Attenuation of Cardiac Fibrosis in PNx Model

Example 3

Administration of either pNaKtide or CoPP to sham surgery treated animals did not significantly affect the degree of cardiac fibrosis. PNx surgery was accompanied by marked degrees of cardiac fibrosis as assessed by Sirius Red/Fast Green staining (p<0.01 vs Sham) which was significantly attenuated by pNaKtide or CoPP treatment (FIG. 5A, both p<0.01 vs. PNx).

In addition to the morphological changes, PNx significantly increased collagen-1 expression in left ventricle (LV) homogenates assayed by Western blot analysis (FIG. 5B, p<0.01 vs Sham). Administration of either pNaKtide or CoPP reduced PNx-induced increases in cardiac collagen-1 expression (FIG. 5B, both p<0.01 vs PNx). While CoPP induced HO-1 expression most profoundly, PNx alone also induced HO-1 expression in the LV homogenates (FIG. 5C, p<0.01 vs PNx).