β-AR blockers suppressed ER stress-mediated apoptosis in cardiac hypertrophy and failure.

<p>(A) and (B) CHOP was increased in AAC rats (4 or 8 weeks after operation), and metoprolol (30 mg/kg/d for 4 or 8 weeks)or propranolol (30 mg/kg/d for 4 or 8 weeks) treatment reduced expression of CHOP. CHOP was normalized to β-actin. (C) Representative images of TUNEL showing cardiac myocytes apoptosis and quantitative analysis of TUNEL-positive myocardial cells in rats. Nuclei of normal cells are blue, and nuclei of apoptosis cells (TUNEL-positive cells) are brown.