Intriguingly, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a surface marker of contractile smooth muscle cells, was significantly decreased in TAC model (Figures 5A,B); in contrast, Collagen I (COL-I) (Figures 5A,C), a Angptl1 (Figures 5A,D) TGF-β1 (Figures 5A,E) and PCNA (Figures 5F,G) were highly expressed in the ascending aorta where remodeling occurred in TAC model as indicated by immuno-blot analysis. This evidence concerns the gene ANGPTL1 and persistent truncus arteriosus.