Getting to the heart of the matter: CCN2 plays a role in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) is overexpressed in diabetes. Diabetic rats possess myocardial and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In a recent report, Wang and colleagues (Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2009 Jul 22. [Epub ahead of print]) show that CCN2 directly mediates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy as well as that induced by high glucose and fatty acid. CCN2 acted via the TrkA receptor. These data are the subject of this commentary, and emphasize that CCN2 may be an excellent target for therapy in diabetes.
Leask
Andrew
A
Division of Oral Biology and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, Dental Sciences Building, London, ON N6A 5C1 Canada.
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