Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Integrins in cardiac fibrosis
Cells sense mechanical stress and changes in their matrix environment through the integrins, a family of heterodimeric surface receptors that bind to extracellular matrix ligands and trigger cytoskeletal remodeling, while transducing a wide range of intracellular signals. Integrins have been extensively implicated in regulation of inflammation, repair and fibrosis in many different tissues. This review manuscript discusses the role of integrin-mediated cascades in myocardial fibrosis. In vitro studies have demonstrated that β1 and αv integrins play an important role in fibrogenic conversion of cardiac fibroblast, acting ...
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - July 21, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Ruoshui Li, Nikolaos G. Frangogiannis Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Is epicardial adipose tissue a key pathophysiologic target in heart failure with preserved ejection?
The epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a visceral fat deposit that covers up to 80% of the heart surface and can constitute up to 20% of total cardiac mass. The EAT and myocardium both originate from the splanchnic mesoderm, and due to their shared embryology have a common blood supply with no fascia separating the EAT from the myocardium. In terms of blood supply, ontogenetic origin and transcriptome, EAT differs from other visceral and subcutaneous fat depots [1]. As a result of approximation and shared blood supply, the EAT can have a direct (bidirectional) paracrine effect on the myocardium potentially influencing card...
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - July 19, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Pieter Martens, Christopher Nguyen, W.H. Wilson Tang Tags: Letter to the editor Source Type: research

Current knowledge of pyroptosis in heart diseases
Pyroptosis is a form of pro-inflammatory, necrotic cell death mediated by proteins of the gasdermin family. Various heart diseases, including myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, and heart failure, involve cardiomyocyte and non-myocyte pyroptosis. Cardiomyocyte pyroptosis also causes the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Recent studies have confirmed that pyroptosis is predominantly triggered by both the canonical and non-canonical inflammasome pathways, which independently facilitate caspase-1 or caspase-11/4/5 activation and gasdermin D (GSDMD) cleavage. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - July 19, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Yang Gao, Huairui Shi, Zhen Dong, Feng Zhang, Aijun Sun, Junbo Ge Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Deficiency of cystathionine gamma-lyase promotes aortic elastolysis and medial degeneration in aged mice
Enzymatic degradation of elastin by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) leads to the permanent dilation of aortic wall and constitutes the most prominent characters of aortic aneurysm and aging-related medial degeneration. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a gasotransmitter exhibits a wide variety of cardio-protective functions through its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative actions. Cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE) is a main H2S-generating enzyme in cardiovascular system. The regulatory roles of CSE/H2S system on elastin homeostasis and blood vessel degeneration have not yet been explored. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - July 14, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Jiechun Zhu, Yuehong Wang, Alexis Rivett, Hongzhu Li, Lingyun Wu, Rui Wang, Guangdong Yang Source Type: research

Mouse cardiomyocyte isolation: Filling the age gaps
In 1960, California, Isaac Harary and Barbara Farley carefully reported the shapes and beating of cells freshly extracted from young rat hearts [1]. This may, they wrote, provide a unique system to study the mammalian heart. Today, isolated cardiomyocytes (CM) are a central component for the molecular investigation of cardiac biology and disease. To this aim, the reliable isolation of high yields of quality cells is challenging, and a constant limitation. CMs in the myocardium associate intimately with neighbouring cells and matrix (ECM) and are sensitive to metabolic, mechanical, ionic and enzymatic disturbances. (Source:...
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - July 8, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Matthew Ackers-Johnson, Roger S. Foo, Davor Pavlovic Source Type: research

Induction of GLI1 by miR-27b-3p/FBXW7/KLF5 pathway contributes to pulmonary arterial hypertension
Glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI1), a zinc-finger transcription factor, is upregulated in tumors and promotes cancer cell proliferation and migration. However, whether GLI1 involves in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) proliferation and migration and the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying GLI1 in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are not yet clear. Primary cultured rat PASMCs and monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rats model were applied to address these issues in the present study. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - July 7, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Qingting Wang, Limin Chai, Qianqian Zhang, Jian Wang, Jin Liu, Huan Chen, Yan Wang, Yuqian Chen, Nirui Shen, Xinming Xie, Manxiang Li Source Type: research

Insights on aortic aneurysm and dissection: Role of the extracellular environment in vascular homeostasis
Aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening medical condition associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Important mechanisms underlying AAD are the dysregulation of vascular homeostasis and adverse remodeling. Vascular homeostasis maintains normal physiological function. Various physical, chemical, biological, and other internal or external environmental changes dysregulate vascular homeostasis, leading to vascular degeneration and aggravated aortic injury. This process is dependent on the communication between homeostatic mechanisms and the extracellular environment, such as local inflammatory cyt...
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - July 4, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Yuan Wang, Pei Gao, Fengjuan Li, Jie Du Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Characterization of decellularized left and right ventricular myocardial matrix hydrogels and their effects on cardiac progenitor cells
Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of right heart failure in pediatric patients. Implantation of c-kit+ cardiac-derived progenitor cells (CPCs) is being clinically evaluated to treat the failing RV, but faces limitations due to reduced transplant cell survival, low engraftment rates, and low retention. These limitations have been exacerbated due to the nature of cell delivery (narrow needles) and the non-optimal recipient microenvironment (reactive oxygen species (ROS)). Extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogels derived from porcine left ventricular (LV) myocardium have emerged as a potential therapy to treat the is...
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - June 30, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Jervaughn D. Hunter, Arielle Hancko, Preety Shakya, Ryan Hill, Anthony J. Saviola, Kirk C. Hansen, Michael E. Davis, Karen L. Christman Source Type: research

Differential effects of Smad2 and Smad3 in regulation of macrophage phenotype and function in the infarcted myocardium
TGF- βs regulate macrophage responses, by activating Smad2/3. We have previously demonstrated that macrophage-specific Smad3 stimulates phagocytosis and mediates anti-inflammatory macrophage transition in the infarcted heart. However, the role of macrophage Smad2 signaling in myocardial infarction remai ns unknown. We studied the role of macrophage-specific Smad2 signaling in healing mouse infarcts, and we explored the basis for the distinct effects of Smad2 and Smad3. In infarct macrophages, Smad3 activation preceded Smad2 activation. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - June 30, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Bijun Chen, Ruoshui Li, Silvia C. Hernandez, Anis Hanna, Kai Su, Arti V. Shinde, Nikolaos G. Frangogiannis Source Type: research

Cardio-Onco-Metabolism – Metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer and the heart
Cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Metabolic remodeling is a hallmark of both cancer and the failing heart. Tumors reprogram metabolism to optimize nutrient utilization and meet increased demands for energy provision, biosynthetic pathways, and proliferation. Shared risk factors for cancer and CVDs suggest intersecting mechanisms for disease pathogenesis and progression. In this review, we aim to highlight the role of metabolic remodeling in cancer and its potential to impair cardiac function. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - June 28, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Anja Karlstaedt, Heinrich Taegtmeyer Tags: Review article Source Type: research

High frequency of anti-DSG 2 antibodies in post COVID-19 serum samples
High frequency of anti-DSG 2 antibodies in post COVID 19 serum samples background: There is growing recognition that COVID-19 does cause cardiac sequelae. The underlying mechanisms involved are still poorly understood to date. Viral infections, including COVID-19, have been hypothesized to contribute to autoimmunity, by exposing previously hidden cryptic epitopes on damaged cells to an activated immune system. Given the high incidence of cardiac involvement seen in COVID-19, our aim was to determine the frequency of anti-DSG2 antibodies in a population of post COVID-19 patients. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - June 25, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Edward C.Y. Lee, Ryan E. Tyler, Derrick Johnson, Natalie Koh, Ong Biauw Chi, Shi Yin Foo, Jack W.C. Tan Source Type: research

The road to physiological maturation of stem cell-derived cardiac muscle runs through the sarcomere
Recent advances the cardiac biomedical sciences have been propelled forward by the development and implementation of human iPSC-derived cardiac muscle. These notable successes notwithstanding, it is well recognized in the field that a major roadblock persists in the lack of full “adult cardiac muscle-like” maturation of hiPSC-CMs. This Perspective centers focus on maturation roadblocks in the essential physiological unit of muscle, the sarcomere. Stalled sarcomere maturation must be addressed and overcome before this elegant experimental platform can reach the mountaint op of making impactful contributions in disease p...
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - June 22, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Joseph M. Metzger Source Type: research

miR-564: A potential regulator of vascular smooth muscle cells and therapeutic target for aortic dissection
Aortic dissection (AD) is a lethal cardiac disorder and one of the most concerning cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Increasing evidence indicates that human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AD, especially related to phenotypic transformation. And notablely, the development of AD is also accompanied by inflammation. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - June 18, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Min Li, Yanyan Yang, Jinbao Zong, Zhibin Wang, Shaoyan Jiang, Xiuxiu Fu, Xiangqin He, Xiaoxin Li, Qianqian Xue, Jian-Xun Wang, Tao Yu Source Type: research

m6A methyltransferase METTL3 participated in sympathetic neural remodeling post-MI via the TRAF6/NF- κB pathway and ROS production
Sudden cardiac death caused by ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) is the main cause of high mortality in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Sympathetic neural remodeling caused by inflammation after MI is closely associated with the occurrence of VAs. METTL3, the earliest identified m6A methyltransferase, is critical in mediating inflammatory responses. Our aim was to investigate whether the m6A methyltransferase METTL3 was involved in sympathetic remodeling post-MI and its specific mechanism. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - June 16, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Lei Qi, Ye Wang, Hui Hu, Pingjiang Li, Hesheng Hu, Yan Li, Kang Wang, Yuepeng Zhao, Meng Feng, Hangji Lyu, Jie Yin, Yugen Shi, Yu Wang, Xiaolu Li, Suhua Yan Source Type: research

ICAM-1-related noncoding RNA accelerates atherosclerosis by amplifying NF- κB signaling
This study aimed to identify the key lncRNA players in activated endothelial cells (ECs). The lncRNAs in response to pro-inflammatory factors in ECs were screened through RNA sequencing. ICAM-1-related non-coding RNA (ICR) was identified as the most potential candidate for early atherosclerosis. ICR is essential for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) expression, EC adhesion and migration. (Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology)
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - June 14, 2022 Category: Cytology Authors: Shuangjin Ding, Jiankun Liu, XiaoRui Han, Wanqiu Ding, Zhirui Liu, Ying Zhu, Wenxing Zhan, Yiqi Wan, Shujie Gai, Junjie Hou, Xiaoxia Wang, Yixia Wu, Andong Wu, Chuan-Yun Li, Zhe Zheng, Xiao-Li Tian, Huiqing Cao Source Type: research