Fig. 6.

Fig. 6.

Intramyocardial injection of PLGA-encapsulated BCI improves cardiac function post-MI in rats. (A) Poly (D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres under scanning electron microscopy (scale bar: 5 μm). (B) In vivo fluorescence imaging of rats 4 weeks after intramyocardial injection of normal saline (control), 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3'-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (DiR) or PLGA-encapsulated DiR (n=3 per group). (C) Imaging of hearts 4 weeks after intramyocardial injection of normal saline (control), DiR or PLGA-encapsulated DiR (n=3 per group). (D) Representative M-mode tracings from ECHO of control, PLGA-treated and PLGA+BCI treated rat hearts at 4 weeks after MI. (E) Statistical analysis of ejection fraction and fractional shortening of control, PLGA-treated and BCI+PLGA-treated rat hearts 1 day before MI, and on days 1, 7, 14 and 28 after MI (n=8–9). (F) Masson's trichrome staining of control, PLGA-treated and BCI+PLGA-treated hearts at 28 days post-MI. Scale bar: 3 mm. (G) Quantification of Masson's trichrome-stained fibrotic area in F (n=8–9). (H) Masson's trichrome staining and H&E staining of control, PLGA-treated and BCI+PLGA-treated hearts at 28 days post-MI. Scale bars: 300 μm. One-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett's multiple comparison test; mean±s.e.m.; *P<0.05; **P<0.01, ***P<0.001; ns, not significant.