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Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity
12:17

Detection and Isolation of Apoptotic Bodies to High Purity

Published on: August 12, 2018

Morphological aspects of apoptosis in heart diseases

Genzou Takemura1, Hisayoshi Fujiwara

  • 1Second Department of Internal Medicine, Gifu University School of Medicine, Yanagido, Gifu, Japan.

Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
|March 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Apoptosis plays a role in heart disease, but its direct evidence in cardiomyocytes is limited. Targeting apoptosis in non-myocytes shows promise for treating heart failure after myocardial infarction.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is implicated in cardiomyocyte loss during myocardial infarction and heart failure.
  • While experimental models show cardiomyocyte apoptosis, direct morphological evidence in human heart disease is scarce.
  • Indirect evidence, like DNA fragmentation, suggests apoptosis occurs, but its clinical relevance remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically review evidence on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in myocardial infarction and heart failure.
  • To assess the role of apoptosis in non-myocyte interstitial cells in cardiac remodeling.
  • To evaluate the therapeutic potential of targeting apoptosis in heart disease.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of animal and human studies.
  • Analysis of morphological, biochemical, and genetic data related to apoptosis.
  • Evaluation of studies investigating therapeutic interventions targeting apoptosis.

Main Results:

  • Limited direct morphological evidence of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in myocardial infarction and heart failure.
  • Apoptosis is definitively observed in non-myocyte interstitial cells post-infarction.
  • Blocking apoptosis in non-myocytes may mitigate cardiac remodeling and heart failure.

Conclusions:

  • The precise role and clinical significance of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in heart disease require further elucidation.
  • Non-myocyte apoptosis is a significant factor in post-infarction cardiac remodeling.
  • Targeting non-myocyte apoptosis presents a potential therapeutic strategy for heart failure, but clinical application faces challenges.

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