ATF6 Decreases Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Damage and Links ER Stress and Oxidative Stress Signaling Pathways in the Heart.

Rationale: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress causes the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER, activating the transcription factor, ATF6 (activating transcription factor 6 alpha), which induces ER stress response genes. Myocardial ischemia induces the ER stress response; however, neither the function of this response nor whether it is mediated by ATF6 is known.

Objective: Here, we examined the effects of blocking the ATF6-mediated ER stress response on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in cardiac myocytes and mouse hearts.