AKT1 and cardiac hypertrophy: As it was reported that overexpression of either ERK1/2, AKT, or PKC can cause compensated or concentric cardiac hypertrophy 20-22 and AMPK activation can prevent cardiac hypertrophy 23, we hypothesized that activation of ERK1/2, AKT, and PKC and inactivation of AMPK mainly mediates Dex-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.