NPPB and heart failure: MI surgery increased the myocardial expression of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and increased the relative expression of foetal (β-MHC) compared to with that of adult (α-MHC) myosin heavy chain isoform (i.e. β-MHC/α-MHC ratio), as markers for foetal gene reprogramming in heart failure (Fig. 2d).