Cardiac fibrosis is a major pathogenic factor in a variety of cardiovascular diseases and refers to an excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components in the heart, which leads to cardiac dysfunction and eventually overt heart failure. Evidence is accumulating for a crucial role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in fibrotic processes in several tissues including the heart. CTGF orchestrates the actions of important local factors evoking cardiac fibrosis. The central role of CTGF as a matricellular protein modulating the fibrotic process in cardiac remodelling makes it a possible biomarker for cardiac fibrosis and a potential candidate for therapeutic intervention to mitigate fibrosis in the heart.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.2008.01936.x | DOI Listing |
Eur J Pharmacol
January 2025
Department of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Immunological Diagnosis and Therapy for Cardiovascular Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. Electronic address:
Background: Myocarditis tends to lead to a poor prognosis, but there are no satisfactory preventive or therapeutic strategies. Erianin, a natural benzene compound, has been found to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effects of erianin on myocarditis remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Signal
January 2025
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China; Future Medical laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. Electronic address:
Background: Dichloroacetate (DCA) has shown potential in modulating cellular metabolism and inflammation, particularly in cardiac conditions. This study investigates DCA's protective effects in a mouse model of myocardial infarction (MI), focusing on its ability to enhance cardiac function, reduce inflammation, and shift macrophage polarization from the pro-inflammatory M1 to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.
Methods: An acute MI model was created using left anterior descending coronary artery ligation.
Eur J Prev Cardiol
January 2025
St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, 9 Princes St Fitzroy VIC 3065 Australia.
Aim: To define the association between severe coronary artery disease and widespread atherosclerosis in younger individuals.
Methods: Individuals aged 1-50 years with sudden cardiac death (SCD) from 2019-23, autopsy-proven to be due to coronary artery disease, were identified using the state-wide EndUCD registry. Presence of extra-coronary atherosclerosis greater than modified American Heart Association class III was assessed in 5 arterial beds (intra-cerebral vessels, aorta, carotid, renal and femoral arteries).
Front Biosci (Landmark Ed)
January 2025
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI 49401, USA.
Background: Diabetes mellitus is associated with morphological and functional impairment of the heart primarily due to lipid toxicity caused by increased fatty acid metabolism. Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) have been implicated in the metabolism of fatty acids in the liver and skeletal muscles. However, their role in the heart in diabetes remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Biosci (Landmark Ed)
January 2025
Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 530021 Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), which is caused mainly by Group A Streptococcus, leads to fibrotic damage to heart valves. Recently, endothelial‒mesenchymal transition (EndMT), in which activin plays an important role, has been shown to be an important factor in RHD valvular injury. However, the mechanism of activin activity and EndMT in RHD valvular injury is not clear.
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