Periostin and periostin-like factor in the human heart: possible therapeutic targets.
BACKGROUND
Although numerous signaling pathways have been identified in adult heart disease, our ability to diagnose and treat human cardiomyopathies remains limited. A family of proteins, which includes periostin and periostin-like factor (PLF), has been identified during heart development and disease. Based on recent findings, these proteins are candidate therapeutic agents for heart disease.


METHODS
Affymetrix GeneChip Expression Analysis as well as northern and western blot analyses were used to determine periostin and PLF expression in humans. Periostin-like factor levels were determined, by western blot analysis, in the rat animal model used to study myocardial loading and unloading. In vivo and in vitro effects of overexpressing PLF by infection with adenovirus were assessed by calculating cardiac myocyte cross-sectional area and determining the level of protein synthesis, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings on PLF suggest that this periostin isoform plays a crucial role in adult cardiac myocyte growth following mechanical overload, thus, implicating its potential as a therapeutic target. In addition, we believe that the differences between the periostin and PLF are of functional significance.
Litvin
Judith
J
Cardiovascular Research Group, Temple University Medical School, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA. judith.litvin@temple.edu
Blagg
Andrew
A
Mu
Anbin
A
Matiwala
Sunil
S
Montgomery
Michael
M
Berretta
Remus
R
Houser
Steven
S
Margulies
Kenneth
K
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C512835:POSTN protein, human; C512836:Postn protein, rat