Syndecan-4 is essential for development of concentric myocardial hypertrophy via stretch-induced activation of the calcineurin-NFAT pathway.

ABSTRACT: Sustained pressure overload leads to compensatory myocardial hypertrophy and subsequent heart failure, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Further unraveling of the cellular processes involved is essential for development of new treatment strategies. We have investigated the hypothesis that the transmembrane Z-disc proteoglycan syndecan-4, a co-receptor for integrins, connecting extracellular matrix proteins to the cytoskeleton, is an important signal transducer in cardiomyocytes during development of concentric myocardial hypertrophy following pressure overload. Echocardiographic, histochemical and cardiomyocyte size measurements showed that syndecan-4(-/-) mice did not develop concentric myocardial hypertrophy as found in wild-type mice, but rather left ventricular dilatation and

SUBMITTER: Finsen AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3229559 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature