NPPB and cardiac hypertrophy: In the wild-type male C57BL/6J mice, TAC gradually induced cardiac hypertrophy that was characterized by an increase in the HW/BW ratio and cardiomyocyte size, induction of ANF, BNP and β-MHC fetal genes, and thickening of the diastolic left ventricle posterior wall (LVPW;d) (Figure S2A and C).