Additional analysis was made in HF rats receiving either vehicle or drug for seven weeks; the following immune cells were either depressed: CD3 + CD4 + CD8- (4.1 ± 1.6 vs 1.15 ± 1%, p = 0.01), CD4-CD8 + (1.34 ± 0.5 vs 0.55 ± 0.4%, p < 0.05) and CD8 + CD28 + (0.76 ± 0.3 vs. 0.05 ± 0.06%, p = 0.006; Fig S7a–c) or unaffected by drug treatment (e.g. CD4 + CD11a+; CD8 + CD11a+; CD4+CD28+; Fig S7d–f). Here, CD28 is linked to hydrops fetalis.