Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins and occurs in a variety of cardiac diseases, such as the highly prevalent syndrome heart failure with pr Show more
Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins and occurs in a variety of cardiac diseases, such as the highly prevalent syndrome heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and other cardiac disorders. Interstitial fibrosis has been identified as a central pathophysiological factor induced and maintained by metabolic stress and chronic inflammation. Considering the limited treatment options for cardiac fibrosis, new therapeutic targets are urgently needed. Mounting evidence for the cardioprotective effects of the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) provides a rationale to elucidate its role and that of its receptor PAC1 in metabolic stress-mediated cardiac fibrosis. Metabolic stress was induced by feeding a cholesterol-enriched diet (CED) to PACAP Show less
Autocrine transforming growth factor β (aTGFβ) has been implicated in the regulation of cell invasion and growth of several malignant cancers such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) or triple- Show more
Autocrine transforming growth factor β (aTGFβ) has been implicated in the regulation of cell invasion and growth of several malignant cancers such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Recently, we observed that endogenous Show less