Treatment of rats with ghrelin for 3 weeks, after induction of MI, improved LV contraction, decreased expression of pro-apoptotic proteins, determined myocardial suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression (an inhibitor of JAK2/STAT3 signaling) and STAT1 phosphorylation, improved antioxidant activity and increased JAK2 phosphorylation and STAT3 phosphorylation in both Y705 and S727 in a rat model of MI with LAD ligation [47]. Here, STAT3 is linked to myocardial infarction.