GNAQ and heart failure: In a separate study, ablation of Nix/Bnip3L, a pro‐apoptotic protein which is transcriptionally upregulated in the Gαq model and mediates cytochrome‐c release, enhanced cardiomyocyte survival and function and prevented lethality.11, 12, 13 Thus, increases in cell death during pregnancy are critical for the development of heart failure post‐partum.