c-Myc: an emerging participant in heart failure

Heart failure is a significant disease that threatens human life and health globally, yet its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood, posing challenges for targeted treatment. The pleiotropic transcription factor c-Myc participates in the regulation of various biological processes and has been extensively studied in the field of oncology. Recent studies have increasingly indicated that c-Myc is also associated with the development of non-oncological diseases such as heart failure, playing a role in regulating key biological processes including cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, energy metabolism, and cardiac regeneration and repair in heart failure. This article reviews the latest research progress on c-Myc in heart failure, discussing its role in the pathogenesis of heart failure, its clinical significance, its potential as a therapeutic target, and the regulatory effects of traditional Chinese medicine on c-Myc. c-Myc is widely involved in the pathological process of the occurrence and development of HF, but its function is highly diverse. The specific effects of c-Myc vary considerably depending on the pathological context, disease stage, and its expression level. Current research on c-Myc is primarily at the preclinical stage. In order to facilitate the clinical translation of c-Myc as a potential therapeutic target for HF, future research may focus on precise targeting of c-Myc, optimal expression and timing, exploration of its mechanisms, and the potential of traditional Chinese medicine in modulating its effects.