GJA1 and myocardial infarction: We found that male, but not female, HFD-Offs had significant reductions in cardiac connexin 43 protein levels, the junction in the heart, in naive rats with no MI injury [interaction, P = 0.0014, F(1,12) = 16.98; sex, P = 0.0014, F(1,12) =16.98; groups, P = 0.0054, F(1,12) = 11.45] (Fig. 7A).