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Cardiac fibrosis caused by adverse cardiac remodeling following myocardial infarction can eventually lead to heart failure. Although the role of soluble factors such as TGF-β is well studied in cardiac fibrosis following myocardial injury, the physiological role of mechanotransduction is not fully understood. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism and functional role of TRPV4 mechanotransduction in cardiac fibrosis. TRPV4KO mice, 8 weeks following myocardial infarction (MI), exhibited preserved cardiac function compared to WT mice. Histological analysis demonstrated reduced cardiac fibrosis in TRPV4KO mice. We found that WT CF exhibited hypotonicity-induced calcium influx and extracellular matrix (ECM)-stiffness-dependent differentiation in response to TGF-β1. In contrast, TRPV4KO CF did not display hypotonicity-induced calcium influx and failed to differentiate on high-stiffness ECM gels even in the presence of saturating amounts of TGF-β1. Mechanistically, TRPV4 mediated cardiac fibrotic gene promoter activity and fibroblast differentiation through the activation of the Rho/Rho kinase pathway and the mechanosensitive transcription factor MRTF-A. Our findings suggest that genetic deletion of TRPV4 channels protects heart from adverse cardiac remodeling following MI by modulating Rho/MRTF-A pathway-mediated cardiac fibroblast differentiation and cardiac fibrosis.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00395-020-0775-5 | DOI Listing |
Nat Cardiovasc Res
September 2025
Department of Cardiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Heart failure (HF) is a growing global health issue. While most studies focus on cardiomyocytes, here we highlight the role of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) in HF. Single-cell RNA sequencing of mouse hearts under pressure overload identified six CF subclusters, with one specific to the HF stage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Physiol
September 2025
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.
Diagnoses of prediabetes and metabolic syndromes, such as metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), are increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, often simultaneously. A significant consequence of these is high risk of cardiovascular disease, highlighting the need for cardiac-specific therapeutics for intervention during the prediabetic stage. Recent studies have demonstrated that chemogenetic activation of the cardiac parasympathetic system through hypothalamic oxytocin (OXT) neurons provides cardioprotective effects in heart disease models by targeting excitatory neurotransmission to brainstem cardiac vagal neurons.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhysiology (Bethesda)
September 2025
Departments of Ophthalmology and Medicine, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
Canonical activation of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) by hormone binding occurs at the plasma membrane, resulting in the diffusion of second messengers to intracellular effector sites throughout the cell. In contrast, recent evidence suggests that functional GPCRs can induce signaling from distinct intracellular domains, contributing to specificity in signaling. Functional adrenergic receptors have been identified at intracellular sites in the cardiac myocyte such as endosomes, the sarcoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi and the inner nuclear membrane.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMol Cell Biochem
September 2025
Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) syndrome, a newly defined systemic disorder, is characterized by the pathological interplay among diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent studies have identified chronic inflammation not only as a central mediator in the pathological progression of CKM syndrome but also as a pivotal molecular hub that drives coordinated damage across multiple organ systems. Mechanistic investigations have revealed that aberrant activation of signaling pathways such as NF-κB, Wnt, PI3K-AKT, JAK-STAT, and PPAR constitutes a complex inflammatory regulatory network.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Kidney J
September 2025
Department of Nephrology. University Clinical Hospital, INCLIVA, Valencia. RICORS Renal Instituto de salud Carlos III, Valencia. Spain.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has emerged as a major contributor to systemic metabolic dysfunction and is increasingly recognized as a risk enhancer for both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This review explores the complex interconnections between MASLD, CVD, and CKD, with emphasis on shared pathophysiological mechanisms and the clinical implications for risk assessment and management. We describe the crosstalk among the liver, heart, and kidneys, focusing on insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and progressive fibrosis as key mediators.
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