MMP2 and cardiac hypertrophy: In the present study, the protein expression of PARP16 was also increased in the heart tissue of Ang II-infused mice, accompanied with the upregulation of myocardial hypertrophy marker BNP, myocardial fibrotic markers (Collagen 1 and MMP2/9) and the inflammatory marker VCAM-1 (Fig. 2c).