Deletion of RalGAPα1 also exacerbated TAC-induced cardiac remodeling with upregulation of cardiac fibrosis and increased expression of heart failure markers such as Anp, Bnp, Col1a1 and Col3a1 in the RalGAPα1-cKO hearts as compared to the control hearts (Fig. 2G–I). This evidence concerns the gene NPPB and heart failure.