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Figure 3 Caspase activity during the transition to heart failure. Biopsy samples (50 mg, n = 10 from each stage) were taken at echocardiographically distinct stages of normal left ventricle (control), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), left ventricular dilation (LVD), and left ventricular failure (LVF). Activities of caspase-3, -8, and -9 were measured using specific fluorogenic substrates (DEVD-AFC for caspase-3, LETD-AFC for caspase-8, and LEHD-AFC for caspase-9) and expressed relative to control samples (mean ± SEM). *p < 0.05; p < 0.01 comparing stages with control (paired Student t test).