title: Don't lose heart--therapeutic value of apoptosis prevention in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. Loss of function or death of cardiomyocytes is a major contributing factor to these diseases. Cell death in conditions such as heart failure and myocardial infarction is associated with apoptosis. Apoptotic pathways have been well studied in non-myocytes and it is thought that similar pathways exist in cardiomyocytes. These pathways include death initiated by ligation of membrane-bound death receptors, release of pro-apoptotic factors from mitochondria or stress at the endoplasmic reticulum. The key regulators of apoptosis include inhibitors of caspases (IAPs), the Bcl-2 family of proteins, growth factors, stress proteins, calcium and oxidants. The highly organized and predictive nature of apoptotic signaling means it is amenable to manipulation. A thorough understanding of the apoptotic process would facilitate intervention at the most suitable points, alleviating myocardium decline and dysfunction. This review summarizes the mechanisms underlying apoptosis and the mediators/regulators involved in these signaling pathways. We also discuss how the potential therapeutic value of these molecules could be harnessed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Janice L V
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; C506386:CFLAR protein, human; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2