A role for caspase-1 in heart failure.

Apoptosis of cardiomyocytes is increased in heart failure and has been implicated in disease progression. The activation of "proapoptotic" caspases represents a key step in cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In contrast, the role of "proinflammatory" caspases (caspases 1, 4, 5, 11, 12) is unclear.

The transcriptional repressor Nab1 is a specific regulator of pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Hypertrophy represents the major physiological response of the heart to adapt to chronically enhanced workload, but is also crucial in the development of heart failure. Although we know of numerous inducers of cardiac hypertrophy, little is known about mechanisms that limit cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we describe the transcriptional repressor NAB1 as an endogenous regulator of cardiac growth.