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Autophagic Punctum

Mechanical unloading of the failing heart exposes the dynamic nature of autophagy

Kari Wellnitz and Heinrich Taegtmeyer

Mechanical unloading with a left-ventricular assist device decreases the energy demand of the failing human heart. Here, we describe our recent work showing that markers and mediators of autophagy in the failing heart are downregulated by mechanical unloading. These observations are consistent with the concept that autophagy may be an adaptive mechanism to secure survival of the failing heart muscle cell.

Punctum to: Kassiotis C, Ballal K, Wellnitz K, Vela D, Gong M, Salazar R, Frazier OH, Taegtmeyer H. Markers of autophagy are downregulated in failing human heart after mechanical unloading. Circulation 2009; 120:S191-7; PMID: 19752367; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.842252.

Authors

Kari Wellnitz

Department of Medicine; Division of Cardiology; The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; Houston, TX USA

Heinrich Taegtmeyer Corresponding author: Heinrich.Taegtmeyer@uth.tmc.edu

Department of Medicine; Division of Cardiology; The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; Houston, TX USA