Fig 1.
The effect of α-toco on the LV ejection fraction (EF; shown by %) and the LV fractional shortening (FS; shown by %).
Comparisons were made with the values of the control group. A and B α-toco significantly improved the EF and FS in young male and aged female mice. C There was no difference in the EF and FS between the α-toco and the control groups of the aged male mice. D α-toco decreased the EF and FS in young female mice. n = 10, *P<0.05, & P<0.01.
Table 1.
The values of IVSd, LVIDd and LVISd in each group.
Table 2.
The baseline data of four different age-/sex-mice.
Fig 2.
The effect of α-toco on myocardial infarct size was measured using the TTC procedure.
A and B The myocardial infarct size of the α-toco group was significantly reduced compared with that in the control group in the young male and aged female mice. C There was no difference in myocardial infarct size between the α-toco and the control groups of the aged male mice. D α-toco increased the myocardial infarct size in young female mice. n = 5, & P<0.01.
Fig 3.
Effects of α-toco on cardiomyocyte apoptosis detected by the TUNEL procedure 24h after MI/R.
Data are presented as Mean ± SD, the average number of apoptotic cells /field was compared in each group of mice. A Heart tissues from mice after 24h of MI/R were examined by TUNEL staining (dark brown nuclei are positive). B Bar graph showing average number of TUNEL-positive staining cells. n = 6, & P<0.01.
Fig 4.
Effects of α-toco on the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK and the expression of HSP90 and Bcl-2 24 h after MI/R.
Data are presented as Mean ± SD, the values were compared with those of the control in each group. A α-toco increased the expression of HSP90 and Bcl-2 and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and reduced the phosphorylation of JNK in young male mice. B α-toco increased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and reduced the phosphorylation of JNK in aged female mice. C No significant differences in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK or in the expression of HSP90 and Bcl-2 were detected for aged male mice. D α-toco increased the phosphorylation of JNK and reduced the expression of Bcl-2 in young female mice. However, no changes were detected for ERK1/2 or HSP90. n = 6, *P<0.05.