Current Drug Targets - Volume 18, Issue 15, 2017

Background: Early reperfusion of the blocked vessel is critical to restore the blood flow to the ischemic myocardium to salvage myocardial tissue and improve clinical outcome. This reperfusion strategy after a period of ischemia, however, may elicit further myocardial damage named myocardial reperfusion injury. The manifestations of reperfusion injury include arrhythmias, myocardial stunning and micro-vascular dys Read More

Background: Experimental studies of acute myocardial infarction have revealed that up to half of the final infarct size may be due to reperfusion injury rather than the initial ischemic incident. Research over the past three decades has deepened our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ischemic reperfusion injury and several therapeutic strategies to decrease the incidence and severity of reperfu Read More

Background: Due to their exceptional stability in the circulation, microRNAs (miRs) are being identified as promising biomarkers. On the other hand, their propensity to regulate networks of functionally closely related genes and relative ease of delivery makes them attractive targets for therapy. However, neither application is without challenges, especially as it applies to ischemic coronary artery disease (CAD). Objective: This revi Read More

Background: Cardiovascular disease is still the most frequent cause of death in both developed and developing countries while metabolic syndrome and myocardial ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury are the common risk factors responsible for the impaired cardiac function. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are non-selective cation channels, that sense a broad range of stimuli from physical conditions such as stretch, Read More

Background: Cardiovascular diseases, especially ischemic heart disease and cardiometabolic disease, remain to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite recent progress in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, the incidence of cardiovascular disease is still rising. Therefore, alternative favorable treatment is urgently needed to rescue the fast growing numbers of patients. Objective: Herein we aim Read More

Background: The pathological activation of innate immune system may contribute to the development of cardiometabolic diseases. The interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family members, which are the major transcription factors in innate immune signaling, are implicated in cardiometabolic diseases. Objective: The aim of this review is to summary the current knowledge of the biological functions of IRFs in innate immune res Read More

Background: Cardio-cerebral-vascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and stroke etc, are the major reasons for morbidity and mortality all over the world. Recent studies showed that inflammation exerts an important impact on the pathogenesis and development of cardio-cerebral-vascular diseases. “The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway”, mainly modulated through α7 nico Read More

Background: Global burden of cardiometabolic disease warrants development of newer treatment strategies. Apelin is ubiquitously expressed endogenous peptide which is a ligand for the apelinergic (APJ) receptor. Apelin/APJ receptors regulate a variety of biological functions and have been implicated in cardiovascular and metabolic homeostasis. Consequently, the apelinergic pathway represents an attractive target to Read More

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) caused 1.3 million deaths in 2010, and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality of diabetic patients. Cardiovascular disease in DM involves complex pathophysiology processes, which are promoted by many risk factors. Objective: Genetic, epigenetic, lifestyle and environmental factors are responsible for the current epidemic of diabetes and the subsequent increased risk o Read More

Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease and a major risk factor for several important cardiovascular events, particularly coronary artery disease and stroke. The pathological process of atherosclerosis is considered to be dynamic and complicated, involving interactions between various different cell types within arteries and the cells that migrate into the vessel wall. Objective: Human cellular repressor of Read More

Background: Cardiac tumors rare cardiac disorders with an overall incidence rate < 0.33%. Cardiac tumors can be classified as primary or secondary depending on the origins of tumors. Primary cardiac tumors (5% incidence) are rare compared with the secondary (95%, metastases of the heart) cardiac tumors. Objective: Given that cardiac tumors exhibit some nonspecific symptoms compared with other heart diseases Read More

Background: The human aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is the most effective enzyme in the detoxification of alcohol metabolite acetaldehyde. The ALDH2*2 mutation is caused by a single nucleotide substitution which results in a nearly inactive form of ALDH2 enzyme. The ALDH2 genotype has been used as a surrogate of alcohol to get causal inferences of alcohol in related diseases implementing Mendelian randomization a Read More

Background: Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity, incurring a major burden of medical care. Even with increasing application of emergent recanalization (PCI and CABG) therapy, ischemia and ischemic reperfusion injury remain as the dominant pathological process that damages cardiomyocytes. Mitochondrial Aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) is a multifunctional enzyme catalyzing the oxi Read More