sRAGE can protect cardiomyocytes from apoptosis induced by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). However, the signaling mechanisms in cardioprotection by sRAGE are currently unknown. We investigated the cardioprotective effect and potential molecular mechanisms of …

Introduction: Stem cell therapy has emerged as potential therapeutic strategy for damaged heart muscles. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells are the most prevalent stem cell source available, yet have not been fully tested in cardiac regeneration. Herein, …

Background: Although both Gαq- and Gα11-protein signaling are believed to be involved in the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy, their detailed contribution to myocardial function remains elusive. Methods and results: We studied remodeling processes in …

Extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation after myocardial infarction (MI) leaves the myocardium structurally weakened and, as a result, susceptible to early infarct zone dyskinesia and left ventricular (LV) remodeling. While various cellular and biomaterial …

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent birth defect, affecting nearly 1% of live births1 ; the incidence of CHD is up to tenfold higherin human fetuses2,3.A genetic contributionis strongly suggested by the association of CHD with chromosome …

BACKGROUND: SIRT1, which belongs to the Sirtuin family of NAD-dependent enzymes, plays diverse roles in aging, metabolism, and disease biology. It could regulate cell survival and has been shown to be a protective factor in heart function. Hence, we …

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been shown to promote mobilization of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMCs) intothe bloodstream associated with improved survival and cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Therefore, the aim of the …

microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are essential in cardiac hypertrophy and in the development of heart failure. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the restoration of miRNA-455 (miR-455) gene expression in vivo aggravates hypertrophy, but …

Consistent protocols for the assessment of diastolic and systolic cardiac function to assure the comparability of existing data on preclinical models are missing. Calcineurin transgene (CN) mice are a preclinical model for hypertrophic and failing hearts. …

Despite intensive research, the pathways that mediate calcium (Ca(2+))-stimulated glucose transport in striated muscle remain elusive. Since the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) pump tightly regulates cytosolic [Ca(2+)], we investigated …