AKT1 and heart failure: In summary, the in vitro and in vivo results of the present study demonstrate for the first time that preconditioning with Dex induces cardiomyocyte hypertrophy that protects against heart failure via α2-adrenergic receptor- and mitochondria- mediated AMPK dephosphorylation and ERK, AKT, and PKC phosphorylation.