MT-CYB and chronic kidney disease: First we assessed cardiac mitochondria content using real-time PCR analysis of the mitochondrial encoded gene Cytochrome B (CytB), an accepted marker for mitochondrial DNA content (mtDNA).[26] CytB gene expression was decreased by 48% in CKD rats and by 42% in ARB-treated CKD rats compared to Sham (from 1.04±0.17 in Sham to 0.52±0.07 in CKD rats, p = 0.03; or 0.58±0.09 in ARB rats, p = 0.04; n = 4-5/arm).