Effects of nicorandil on Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression in the RV, 1 week after MCT injection.

<p>The protein levels of Bcl-2 and Bax in the RV myocardium were determined by Western blot analysis. The levels of Bcl-2 and Bax protein were quantitatively analyzed with an image analyzer and expressed as the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. Equal loading of protein was confirmed with anti-GAPDH antibody. (A) Representative Western blot results showing the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and GAPDH protein in the right ventricle of rats from different experimental groups. (B) Bar graph showing the densitometric scanning of the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. Abbreviations are the same as in the legend of <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0044485#pone-0044485-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1</a>. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 3). *<i>P</i><0.05 relative to the control group, #<i>P</i><0.05 compared with MCT-treated group. +<i>P</i><0.05 relative to the nicorandil-treated group.