mAKAP—A Master Scaffold for Cardiac Remodeling

Bioactive Extracellular Matrix Scaffold Promotes Adaptive Cardiac Remodeling and Repair

Axin: a master scaffold for multiple signaling pathways.

Axin was originally identified from the characterization of the Fused locus, the disruption of which leads to duplication of axis and embryonic lethality. It is a multidomain protein that interacts with multiple proteins and functions as a negative regulator of Wnt signaling by downregulating the beta-catenin levels. Recently, it was demonstrated that Axin also plays an important role in a JNK ...

Extracellular matrix scaffold for cardiac repair.

BACKGROUND Heart failure remains a significant problem. Tissue-engineered cardiac patches offer potential to treat severe heart failure. We studied an extracellular matrix scaffold for repairing the infarcted left ventricle. METHODS AND RESULTS Pigs (n=42) underwent left ventricular (LV) infarction. At 6 to 8 weeks, either 4-layer multilaminate urinary bladder-derived extracellular matrix or ...

Nipping at cardiac remodeling.

Much of the mortality following myocardial infarction results from remodeling of the heart after the acute ischemic event. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis has been thought to play a key role in this remodeling process. In this issue of the JCI, Diwan and colleagues present evidence that Bnip3, a proapoptotic Bcl2 family protein, mediates cardiac enlargement, reshaping, and dysfunction in mice without i...

Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling.

Early investigations in the late 1890s and early 1900s documented cardiac enlargement in athletes with above-normal exercise capacity and no evidence of cardiovascular disease. Such findings have been reported for more than a century and continue to intrigue scientists and clinicians. It is well recognized that repetitive participation in vigorous physical exercise results in significant change...