Nestin protein expression and appearance of nestin⁽⁺⁾-cardiomyocytes in the left ventricle of the pressure-overloaded rat heart.

(Panel A) Nestin protein levels were significantly increased in the left ventricle of suprarenal abdominal aorta constricted (SAC) rats as compared to sham rats. Nestin protein expression in the left ventricle of sham (open circles) and SAC (filled circles) rats positively correlated with the rise of mean arterial pressure. Nestin protein expression was normalized to GAPDH, n = 7 sham rats, n = 8 banded rats and (*) denotes P<0.05 versus sham as determined by a student’s unpaired t-test. (Panel B) In the normal left ventricle, nestin immunoreactivity was observed exclusively in cells detected intercalated between cardiomyocytes. In the left ventricle of SAC rats, a paucity of cardiomyocytes (indicated by arrow) was associated with nestin immunoreactivity.