BACKGROUND Exendin-4, an exogenous glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist, protects the heart from ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, the mechanisms for this protection are poorly understood. Caveolae, sarcolemmal invaginations, and caveolins, scaffolding proteins in caveolae, localize molecules involved in cardiac protection. We tested the hypothesis that caveolae and caveolins a...

The aged heart has a diminished functional and adaptive reserve capacity, an increased susceptibility to incur damage (e.g., as a result of ischemia), and a limited practical ability for repair/regeneration. Thus, there has been considerable interest to harness the heart's endogenous capacity to resist such damage, known as ischemic preconditioning (IPC), as well as other cardioprotective mecha...

BACKGROUND Therapeutic strategies aimed at increasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels exert cytoprotective effects in various models of cardiovascular injury. However, the underlying mechanism(s) responsible for this protection remain to be fully elucidated. Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a cellular target of H2S and facilitator of H2S-mediated cardioprotection after acute myocardia...

Consecutive treatment of adult rat heart with isoproterenol and adenosine (Iso/Aden), known to consecutively activate PKA/PKC signaling, is cardioprotective against ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). Whether this is cardioprotective in an immature heart is unknown. Langendorff-perfused hearts from adult and immature (60 and 14 days old) male Wistar rats were exposed to 30 min ischemia and 120 min ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE We attempt to reduce the ischemic time during implantation of the donor heart in the bicaval bipulmonary orthotopic position using normothermic beating heart and thus, facilitate the transplanted heart adaptation to the recipient. This study presents a small experience about a new strategy of myocardial protection during heart transplant. METHODS In cardiopulmonary by...

OBJECTIVE Adaptation to ischemia by brief episodes of ischemia and reperfusion (preconditioning) of the heart protects the heart against sustained ischemia, where the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa-B (NFkappaB) appears crucial for the protection. Preconditioning of the heart may even be evoked by brief episodes of ischemia and reperfusion in other organs. The present study investigat...

long-term mechanical circulatory support is a life-saving technology while briding to heart transplantation. it increases the quality of life and preserves end-organ function for patients with  advanced heart failure. the number of patients with advanced heart failure scheduled for heart transplantation before comorbidities escalate is on the rise. however, the device function is complicated by...

Alcohol abuse can cause cardiomyopathy indistinguishable from other types of dilated nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Most heavy drinkers remain asymptomatic in the earlier stages of disease progression, and many never develop the familiar clinical manifestations that typify heart failure. We review the current thinking on the pathophysiology, clinical characteristics, and treatments available for a...

The therapeutic effect of nitroglycerin is geneially attributed to its coronary dilator effect alone. In contrast, it could be shown that nitroglycerin also counteracts the chronotropic as wvell as the electiocardiographic T-wave (leplessing effects of epinep)hline, arterenol and caldiac syml)athinl upon the heart. Accordingly, its therapeutic action in angina pectoris is suspected as being lar...

Luis G. Melo, Alok S. Pachori, Deling Kong, Massimiliano Gnecchi, Kai Wang, Richard E. Myocardium : Reasons for Cautious Optimism Molecular and Cell-Based Therapies for Protection, Rescue, and Repair of Ischemic Print ISSN: 0009-7322. Online ISSN: 1524-4539 Copyright © 2004 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved. is published by the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Aven...