title: Titin--springing back to youth?
abstract: Mutations in the muscle protein titin have been linked to dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart chambers are enlarged and blood is ineffectively pumped, in humans and in animal models. This protein, which is a component of sarcomeres, provides essential scaffolding for other muscle proteins and acts as a spring to confer passive elasticity on the cardiomyocyte. Several titin isoforms exist, and they display varying size and degrees of elasticity. We review two interesting reports that show how variations in titin isoforms might be implicated in cardiac failure.
authors: Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
authors: Fawzia
authors: F
authors: Huq
authors: E Kevin
authors: EK
authors: Heist
authors: Roger J
authors: RJ
authors: Hajjar
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000378:metabolism*; D064211:Connectin; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D012518:Sarcomeres / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D064211:Connectin; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C577285:TTN protein, human; D011494:Protein Kinases