Creating and curing fatty hearts.
OBJECTIVE
Diseases associated with ectopic disposition of lipids are becoming an increasingly important medical problem as the incidence of type 2 diabetes and obesity increases. One of the organs affected by lipotoxicity is the heart and this review presents an update on human and animal studies of this problem.


RESULTS
Human studies have clearly correlated heart dysfunction with the content of triglyceride. More recently human heart samples have been used to assess gene changes associated with altered lipid accumulation. Genetically altered mice have been created that develop lipotoxic cardiomyopathies and newer investigations are attempting to delineate curative therapies.


CONCLUSIONS
Human studies will confirm the metabolic changes associated with lipotoxic cardiomyopathy and, hopefully, animal studies will guide treatment options.
Khan
Raffay S
RS
Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine and Nutrition, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Drosatos
Konstaninos
K
Goldberg
Ira J
IJ
D000818:Animals; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D005227:Fatty Acids; D014280:Triglycerides