Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 modulates left ventricular dysfunction in chronic heart failure via angiogenesis-dependent and -independent actions.

Background: The inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) protects the heart from acute myocardial ischemia. However, the role of DPP4 in chronic heart failure independent of coronary artery disease remains unclear.

Methods And Results: We first localized the membrane-bound form of DPP4 to the capillary endothelia of rat and human heart tissue.