Evaluating Cardiac Function via Echocardiography

Echocardiograph was carried out to evaluate cardiac function (49 (link)). Briefly, mice were anesthetized via inhalation of 1.5% isoflurane in oxygen (flow rate: 0.3 L/min). Transthoracic echocardiogram was conducted using VisualSonics equipment (Vevo2100) with a 30-MHz probe. Representative echocardiographic images were taken and shown in Supplementary Figure S2. Each echocardiographic measurement was done in triplicate. The data were analyzed by computer software (Vevo2100, VisualSonics). To assess cardiac hypertrophy, isolated hearts were weighed, and the data were normalized to body weights and tibia lengths.