Caveolins in cardioprotection - Translatability and mechanisms

Abstract

Translation of preclinical treatments for ischaemia-reperfusion injury into clinical therapies has been limited by a number of factors. This review will focus on a single mode of cardiac protection related to a membrane scaffolding protein, caveolin, which regulates protective signalling as well as myocyte ultrastructure in the setting of ischaemic stress. Factors that have limited the clinical translation of protection will be considered specifically in terms of signalling and structural defects. The potential of caveolin to overcome barriers to protection with the ultimate hope of clinical translation will be discussed.