Moreover, mice injected with AAV9-ANGPT4 showed significantly better recovery of cardiac function after myocardial infarction, as assessed by ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS), compared with control mice treated with AAV9-GFP (Fig. 6R and 6S), suggesting that expression of ANGPT4 in vivo could promote cardiac repair in adult mice that would otherwise be non-regenerative after injury. This evidence concerns the gene ANGPT4 and myocardial infarction.