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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Ex Vivo Release of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide from the Trigeminovascular System in Rodents
Published on: May 16, 2022
Plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide decreases in chronic congestive heart failure
H Taquet1, M Komajda, O Grenier
1Service de Biochimie Médicale, Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
Insights
Plasma levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are significantly lower in patients with heart failure. This finding suggests CGRP plays a role in heart failure development or sympathetic nervous system activity.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Neuroendocrinology
Background:
- Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide with known cardiovascular effects.
- Its specific role in the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF) requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the involvement of CGRP in cardiac failure.
- To quantify plasma CGRP levels in individuals with and without HF.
Main Methods:
- Development of a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for CGRP.
- Measurement of plasma CGRP concentrations in 37 healthy subjects and 41 patients diagnosed with HF.
Main Results:
- Mean plasma CGRP levels were significantly reduced in HF patients (121.2 pg.ml-1) compared to normal subjects (294.3 pg.ml-1).
- A statistically significant decrease in CGRP was observed in the heart failure cohort.
Conclusions:
- The reduced plasma CGRP levels in heart failure suggest its involvement in the disease's pathogenesis.
- CGRP may influence heart failure directly or by modulating sympathetic nervous system activity.
Abstract:
To investigate the role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in cardiac failure, a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay was developed to study plasma levels of CGRP in 37 normal subjects and 41 patients with heart failure (HF). The mean plasma levels of CGRP were 294.3 pg.ml-1 (SEM: 41.4) in normal subjects and 121.2 pg.ml-1 (SEM: 21.2) in HF patients. The significant decrease observed in HF patients suggests that CGRP is involved in the pathogenesis of heart failure via a direct effect or via modulation of sympathetic nervous activity.
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