Autophagy in cardiovascular disease

Autophagy is a major cytoprotective pathway that eukaryotic cells use to degrade and recycle cytoplasmic contents. Recent evidence indicates that autophagy under baseline conditions represents an important homeostatic mechanism for the maintenance of normal cardiovascular function and morphology. By...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in molecular medicine 2007-11, Vol.13 (11), p.482-491
Main Authors: Martinet, Wim, Knaapen, Michiel W.M, Kockx, Mark M, De Meyer, Guido R.Y
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Autophagy - drug effects
Autophagy - physiology
Cardiomyopathies - drug therapy
Cardiomyopathies - pathology
Cardiomyopathies - physiopathology
Cardiovascular Diseases - drug therapy
Cardiovascular Diseases - pathology
Cardiovascular Diseases - physiopathology
Humans
Models, Biological
Pathology
Signal Transduction - drug effects
Sirolimus - pharmacology
Sirolimus - therapeutic use
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Summary:Autophagy is a major cytoprotective pathway that eukaryotic cells use to degrade and recycle cytoplasmic contents. Recent evidence indicates that autophagy under baseline conditions represents an important homeostatic mechanism for the maintenance of normal cardiovascular function and morphology. By contrast, excessive induction of the autophagic process by environmental or intracellular stress has an important role in several types of cardiomyopathy by functioning as a death pathway. As a consequence, enhanced autophagy represents one of the mechanisms underlying the cardiomyocyte dropout responsible for the worsening of heart failure. Successful therapeutic approaches that regulate autophagy have been reported recently, suggesting that the autophagic machinery can be manipulated to treat heart failure or to prevent rupture of atherosclerotic plaques and sudden death.
ISSN:1471-4914
1471-499X
DOI:10.1016/j.molmed.2007.08.004