Up-regulation of AGGF1 in response to acute MI and robust therapeutic effects of AGGF1 protein therapy on MI.

<p><b>(A)</b> Real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analysis for <i>AGGF1</i> mRNA expression in mice with LAD ligation or sham operation (Sham) (<i>n</i> = 6/group). Pre, before surgery. <b>(B)</b> Western blot analysis for AGGF1 protein expression (<i>n</i> = 6 mice/group). <b>(C)</b> Immunostaining analysis for AGGF1 protein expression in cross-sections of hearts (<i>n</i> = 5). Scale bar = 50 μm. <b>(D)</b> AGGF1 (500 ng/ml) induces autophagy in HUVECs under a hypoxic condition for different time points (<i>n</i> = 3/group). <b>(E)</b> AGGF1-specific siRNA inhibited autophagy under normoxia or hypoxia. <b>(F)</b> Post-MI survival of mice with AGGF1 treatment (<i>n</i> = 20), mice with IgG treatment (<i>n</i> = 30), and sham mice (<i>n</i> = 14). <b>(G)</b> Representative M-mode echocardiograms. <b>(H)</b> Effects of AGGF1 protein therapy on myocardial function and contraction. Underlying data are shown in <a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002529#pbio.1002529.s001" target="_blank">S1 Data</a>.