NPPB and cardiac hypertrophy: After 8 weeks of AB, the AB-induced vehicle-treated mice developed massive cardiac hypertrophy as shown by an increased LV wall and cardiomyocyte CSA accessed by HE; up-regulation of the hypertrophic markers ANP, BNP, and β-MHC; and heart weight (HW)/BW, lung weight (LW)/BW, and HW/tibia length (TL) ratios.