A Novel Molecular Mechanism of IKKε-Mediated Akt/mTOR Inhibition in the Cardiomyocyte Autophagy after Myocardial Infarction

Figure 3

Loss of IKKε induced excessive autophagy and increased apoptosis in cardiomyocytes after MI. (a, b) LC3II, Beclin-1, and ATG-5 expression levels of the mouse hearts after MI were detected via western blotting analysis ( per experimental group). , . (c, d) Representative western blots and quantitative results of IKKε, LC3I/II, ATG-5, C-caspase 3, Bcl-2, and Bax in WT and KO mice at 2 weeks after MI or sham operation ( for each group). ; . (e) Representative electron micrographs showing cardiomyocyte autophagy in the border zone of the WT and KO hearts at 2 weeks after MI ( for each group). Scale bar represents 1 nm. (f) The quantification of autophagy is expressed as a percentage of autophagic vacuole area. . Each experiment was repeated 3 times.

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