Heart diseases such as myocardial ischemia and infarction remains a leading cause of mortality all over the world. Myocardial ischemia, infarction and ischemia/reperfusion injuries cause apoptosis, necrosis or other types of cell death. In addition, oxidant stress and inflammatory cells infiltration associated with myocardial infarction could further exacerbate cardiac function, which ultimately lead to heart failure or sudden cardiac death.
To date, many approaches have been developed and applied in preclinical and clinical settings to repair and regenerate infarcted cardiac tissues, such as activation of survival pathways, inhibition of oxidative stress by various reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers, and promotion of regeneration of myocardium by delivery of exogenous stem cells or stimulation of endogenous stem cells. However, there are still limited therapies for treating cardiac injuries, which is largely attributed to lack of knowledge of specific signal pathways and factors that involve in cardiac injury, repair and regeneration.
In this Research Topic, we invite articles focusing on testing pharmacological effects of potential new drugs, drug targets and approaches to protect against acute cardiac injuries, chronic fibrotic remodelling and promote cardiac regeneration. Articles can be in the forms of Original Research articles and Reviews of related research advances. The following sub-topics are welcomed, but not limited to:
1) Novel effective drugs for protecting hearts against myocardial infarction and ischemia/reperfusion are one of main focuses of research. In our article collection, scientists in this field are encouraged to submit manuscripts describing new potential drugs or re-purpose of old drugs to protect against cardiac injuries.
2) The understanding of precise mechanisms and key signal pathways involved in ischemic preconditioning, myocardial ischemia, infarction and ischemia/reperfusion is still limited. The manuscripts exploring key signal pathways or molecules in this process will help to provide new targets for drug development for cardiac injuries.
3) Ischemic precondition (drugs and procedure) in protecting myocardial injury has been used in preclinical and clinical settings. Till now, the data about the efficacy of preconditioning is subject to debate. Thus, we hope that manuscripts related to this area can help us to further dissect the molecular and cellular actions of ischemic preconditioning for treating cardiac injury.
4) The benefits of stem cells for myocardial protection and repair are closely related to stem cells-derived exosomes or cardiac cells (from hiPSCs or hESCs). The efficacy and safety of these biological approaches in treating cardiac injuries has not been elucidated yet. It is of special interest for the manuscripts that explore exosome mediated cardioprotection.
Heart diseases such as myocardial ischemia and infarction remains a leading cause of mortality all over the world. Myocardial ischemia, infarction and ischemia/reperfusion injuries cause apoptosis, necrosis or other types of cell death. In addition, oxidant stress and inflammatory cells infiltration associated with myocardial infarction could further exacerbate cardiac function, which ultimately lead to heart failure or sudden cardiac death.
To date, many approaches have been developed and applied in preclinical and clinical settings to repair and regenerate infarcted cardiac tissues, such as activation of survival pathways, inhibition of oxidative stress by various reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers, and promotion of regeneration of myocardium by delivery of exogenous stem cells or stimulation of endogenous stem cells. However, there are still limited therapies for treating cardiac injuries, which is largely attributed to lack of knowledge of specific signal pathways and factors that involve in cardiac injury, repair and regeneration.
In this Research Topic, we invite articles focusing on testing pharmacological effects of potential new drugs, drug targets and approaches to protect against acute cardiac injuries, chronic fibrotic remodelling and promote cardiac regeneration. Articles can be in the forms of Original Research articles and Reviews of related research advances. The following sub-topics are welcomed, but not limited to:
1) Novel effective drugs for protecting hearts against myocardial infarction and ischemia/reperfusion are one of main focuses of research. In our article collection, scientists in this field are encouraged to submit manuscripts describing new potential drugs or re-purpose of old drugs to protect against cardiac injuries.
2) The understanding of precise mechanisms and key signal pathways involved in ischemic preconditioning, myocardial ischemia, infarction and ischemia/reperfusion is still limited. The manuscripts exploring key signal pathways or molecules in this process will help to provide new targets for drug development for cardiac injuries.
3) Ischemic precondition (drugs and procedure) in protecting myocardial injury has been used in preclinical and clinical settings. Till now, the data about the efficacy of preconditioning is subject to debate. Thus, we hope that manuscripts related to this area can help us to further dissect the molecular and cellular actions of ischemic preconditioning for treating cardiac injury.
4) The benefits of stem cells for myocardial protection and repair are closely related to stem cells-derived exosomes or cardiac cells (from hiPSCs or hESCs). The efficacy and safety of these biological approaches in treating cardiac injuries has not been elucidated yet. It is of special interest for the manuscripts that explore exosome mediated cardioprotection.