Pre-clinical data on involvement of mineralocorticoid receptor activation in healing and remodelling post-myocardial infarction

Abstract

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death. Therapeutic strategies that target pathophysiological mechanisms of infarct healing and that improve cardiac remodeling after MI appear to be useful tools to prevent progressive myocardial dysfunction, heart failure and sudden death. Recent preclinical data highlight that activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) plays a pivotal role in post-infarct healing and remodelling. Immediate MR blockade after MI enhanced infarct neovascularization and reduced early myocardial dilatation and dysfunction. Moreover, cardiomyocyte-specific MR deficiency improved infarct healing and prevented progressive adverse cardiac remodeling, contractile dysfunction, and molecular alterations in ischemic heart failure. This review summarizes new insights into the involvement of MR activation in wound healing and remodelling after myocardial infarction. © 2011 The Author.