The fate and role of the pericytes in myocardial diseases

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Biology
• Cell Biology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Pericytes are abundant in the adult mammalian heart, maintaining homeostasis by regulating microvascular permeability and flow.
• Alterations in pericyte phenotype and function are linked to various myocardial diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the multifaceted roles of cardiac pericytes in maintaining heart homeostasis.
• To elucidate the involvement of pericytes in the pathogenesis and repair processes following myocardial infarction (MI).
• To discuss the implications of pericytes in chronic heart failure and viral infections like COVID-19, highlighting their therapeutic potential.

Main Methods:

• This manuscript is a review, synthesizing existing research on cardiac pericytes.
• Analysis of pericyte behavior during different phases of cardiac repair post-MI.
• Examination of pericyte involvement in inflammation, fibrosis, angiogenesis, and vascular stabilization.

Main Results:

• Cardiac pericytes are integral to all stages of cardiac repair following MI, including inflammation, proliferation, and scar maturation.
• They contribute to fibrosis through growth factor activation and mediator secretion, and stabilize neovessels.
• Pericytes influence myocardial perfusion, inflammation, and angiogenesis, and are implicated in heart failure and COVID-19 cardiac complications.

Conclusions:

• Cardiac pericytes play dynamic roles in cardiac homeostasis and disease progression, particularly after myocardial infarction.
• Their involvement in inflammation, fibrosis, and angiogenesis makes them significant targets for novel therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular disease.