Research Paper Volume 13, Issue 4 pp 6156—6170

Figure 3. Cardioprotective effects of ADSC-derived EVs in a mouse model of MIRI. (A) Apoptosis (TUNEL) assay in mouse myocardial sections obtained 12h after reperfusion. The NC-EVs group was compared with the IR group and the Int-EVs group was compared with the NC-EVs group (Image below: 400× magnification; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, **** P < 0.0001, n = 6). (B) Assessment of infarct size (IS) and area at risk (AAR) in mice subjected to MIRI. Results were compared between the NC-EVs and the IR groups and between the Int-EVs and the NC-EVs groups (10× magnification; IR: ischemia reperfusion; TTC: triphenyltetrazolium chloride; AAR: *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, **** P < 0.0001, n = 6). (C, D) Western blot analysis of TXNIP, cleaved-caspase-1, and NLRP3 in infarcted mouse myocardial tissue. Data were compared between the NC-EVs and the IR groups and between the Int-EVs and the NC-EVs groups (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, **** P < 0.0001, n = 4). (E, F) Western blot analysis of BAX, cleaved-caspase-3, GATA4, and Bcl-2 expression in infarcted mouse myocardial tissue. Data were compared between the NC-EVs and the IR groups and between the Int-EVs and the NC-EVs groups (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, **** P < 0.0001, n = 4). (G, H) Cardiac function assessment. Echocardiography was used to examine EF and FS immediately after sham or MIRI surgery (baseline) and on the 3^rd and 7^th day after reperfusion (#P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01, ### P < 0.001, #### P < 0.0001, NC-EVs vs IR; n = 7). (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, **** P < 0.0001, Int-EVs vs NC-EVs; n = 7).