Fig. 5
MSCsTXL-exo exhibited better therapeutic efficacy in decreasing apoptotic cardiomyocytes, limiting inflammation, improving cardiac function, reducing infarct size, and cardiac fibrosis and promoting angiogenesis. Representative TUNEL staining images (A) and quantification of cTNT+TUNEL+ cardiomyocytes (B) (4 random fields per animal; n = 5) at 3 days post AMI. The regions boxed with white dashed lines are enlarged in the lower panel. The cardiomyocytes were stained with cTNT (red), and nuclei were stained blue. Scale bar = 20 μm. (C) Representative western blotting images of Bax, cleaved-Caspase 3 and GAPDH, and the Bax (D) and cleaved-Caspase 3 level (E) (n = 4). (F) and (G) Quantification of IL-6 and TNF-α levels in the infarct border zone at 3 days post-AMI (n = 6). Representative images of echocardiograms (H) and quantitative analysis (I) of LVEF, LVFS, LVEDV, and LVESV at 28 days post-AMI (n = 7–8 for each group). Representative images (J) and quantitative analysis (K) of Masson’s trichrome staining at 4 weeks post-AMI. Scale bar = 2000 μm (n = 6). Representative images of Sirius red staining (L) and quantification (M) for collagen area. Scale bar = 2000 μm (n = 6). Representative images of αSMA positively stained arterioles (N) or CD31 positively stained capillaries (P) at the border zone and the corresponding quantitative data (O) or (Q) (n = 5). Scale bar = 20 μm. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test and are shown as the mean ± SD. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001