title: Myocardial fibrosis seen through the lenses of T-cell biology.
abstract: Lymphocytes came recently into focus as modulators of non-infectious myocardial diseases. Several lines of experimental evidence now indicate that CD4(+) T-cells can influence the healing and scarring processes that follow a myocardial infarction episode. Furthermore, such heart-directed T-cell activity has also been implicated in the pathogenesis cardiac remodeling that develops in response to chronic pressure-overload conditions. Mechanistically, different T-cell subsets can secrete several mediators and growth factors that influence the myocardial molecular milieu and directly interfere with the macrophages' and fibroblasts' activity. Therefore, the present review summarizes the current experimental evidence on the role of T-cells in myocardial scar formation after infarction and myocardial fibrosis as central mechanism of ventricular remodeling.
authors.affiliation: University Clinic Halle, Department of Internal Medicine III, D-06120 Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: University Clinic Halle, Department of Internal Medicine III, D-06120 Halle, Germany; Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, Würzburg, D-97078 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: University Clinic Halle, Department of Internal Medicine III, D-06120 Halle, Germany. Electronic address: stefan.frantz@uk-halle.de.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frantz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000276:immunology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000276:immunology
keywords: Healing; Myocardial fibrosis; Myocardial infarction; T-cells