title: The interferon regulatory factors as novel potential targets in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
abstract: The family of interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) consists of nine members (IRF1-IRF9) in mammals. They act as transcription factors for the interferons and thus exert essential regulatory functions in the immune system and in oncogenesis. Recent clinical and experimental studies have identified critically important roles of the IRFs in cardiovascular diseases, arising from their participation in divergent and overlapping molecular programmes beyond the immune response. Here we review the current knowledge of the regulatory effects and mechanisms of IRFs on the immune system. The role of IRFs and their potential molecular mechanisms as novel stress sensors and mediators of cardiovascular diseases are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.|Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.|State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.|Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Ding-Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.|Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Hongliang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors