title: New therapeutic approach to heart failure due to myocardial infarction based on targeting growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We previously showed that growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) agonists are cardioprotective following myocardial infarction (MI). Here, our aim was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo activities of highly potent new GHRH agonists, and elucidate their mechanisms of action in promoting cardiac repair.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H9c2 cells were cultured in serum-free medium, mimicking nutritional deprivation. GHRH agonists decreased calcium influx and significantly improved cell survival. Rats with cardiac infarction were treated with GHRH agonists or placebo for four weeks. MI size was reduced by selected GHRH agonists (JI-38, MR-356, MR-409); this accompanied an increased number of cardiac c-kit+ cells, cellular mitotic divisions, and vascular density. One week post-MI, MR-409 significantly reduced plasma levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α compared to placebo. Gene expression studies revealed favorable outcomes of MR-409 treatment partially result from inhibitory activity on pro-apoptotic molecules and pro-fibrotic systems, and by elevation of bone morphogenetic proteins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with GHRH agonists appears to reduce the inflammatory responses post-MI and may consequently improve mechanisms of healing and cardiac remodeling by regulating pathways involved in fibrosis, apoptosis and cardiac repair. Patients with cardiac dysfunction could benefit from treatment with novel GHRH agonists.
authors: Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Rosemeire M
authors: RM
authors: Kanashiro-Takeuchi
authors: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Szalontay
authors: Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Pathology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Medicine, Divisions of Hematology/Oncology and Endocrinology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Andrew V
authors: AV
authors: Schally
authors: Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Lauro M
authors: LM
authors: Takeuchi
authors: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Medicine III, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Germany.|Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: Popovics
authors: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Pathology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Miklos
authors: M
authors: Jaszberenyi
authors: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Irving
authors: I
authors: Vidaurre
authors: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Zarandi
authors: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Pathology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Ren-Zhi
authors: RZ
authors: Cai
authors: Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Pathology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Medicine, Divisions of Hematology/Oncology and Endocrinology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Norman L
authors: NL
authors: Block
authors: Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Joshua M
authors: JM
authors: Hare
authors: Veterans Affairs Medical Center and South Florida Veterans Affairs Foundation for Research and Education, Miami, Florida, United States of America.|Department of Urology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors: Ferenc G
authors: FG
authors: Rick
mesh_terms: D000527:Alprostadil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008938:Mitosis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000819:agonists* / Q000737:chemistry*; D018017:Receptors, Pituitary Hormone-Regulating Hormone / Q000819:agonists* / Q000737:chemistry*; D017337:Sermorelin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; C420262:JI-38; C000606673:N-Me-Tyr1,D-Ala2,Asn8,Arg29-NHCH3-JI-38; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; D018017:Receptors, Pituitary Hormone-Regulating Hormone; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C060276:MR 356; D016753:Interleukin-10; D017337:Sermorelin; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone; D000527:Alprostadil; C048250:somatotropin releasing hormone receptor
keywords: cardioprotection; gerotarget; growth hormone-releasing hormone; heart failure; myocardial infarction; remodeling