idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

Nachrichten, Termine, Experten

Grafik: idw-Logo
Grafik: idw-Logo

idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft

Science Video Project
idw-Abo

idw-News App:

AppStore

Google Play Store



Instance:
Share on: 
04/02/2009 14:49

MDC Researchers Prevent Virus Induced Myocarditis - First Studies in Mice

Barbara Bachtler Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin (MDC) Berlin-Buch

    Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia can be a consequence of myocarditis - an inflammation of the cardiac muscle that can be caused by the Coxsackievirus. In mice, Dr. Yu Shi, Chen Chen, and Professor Michael Gotthardt of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, have now abolished the infection by blocking the receptor which is required for virus entry. "We did not detect a single cardiomyocyte that was infected by the virus. Inflammation of the heart muscle associated with this virus infection did not develop," Dr. Shi said. (Journal of American College of Cardiology, (J Am Coll Cardiol, 2009; 53:1219-1226, doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2008.10.064).*

    The receptor used by the Coxsackievirus to infect the heart is the Coxsackie-adenovirus-receptor (CAR). It can be found in the cell membrane of myocardial fibers. Ulrike Lisewski, Dr. Shi, Michael Radke, and Prof. Gotthardt discovered only recently that CAR is necessary for a regular heart beat.

    In their current study, the researchers could demonstrate that genetically engineered mice without CAR were protected from cardiac infection caused by the Coxsackievirus. Moreover, the mice did not show any evidence of inflammatory cardiomyopathy. That is why Professor Gotthardt assumes - contrary to previous hypotheses - that the direct effects of the virus infection, and not the autoimmune response, primarily determine the disease process.

    This distinction is important in order to develop effective methods for future therapies of viral myocarditis. One therapeutic option could be to use CAR as a drug target and to block this receptor with a pharmacological agent.

    "However," Dr. Shi explained, "complete blockage of CAR in mice leads to cardiac arrhythmia." Ultimately, the researchers aim to block the receptor transiently, so that only the virus entry is affected without a permanent effect on the heart beat.

    *Cardiac deletion of the Coxsackievirus-adenovirusreceptor abolishes CVB3 infection and prevents myocarditis in vivo

    Yu Shi, MD PhD*, Chen Chen, MSc*, Ulrike Lisewski, MSc*, Uta Wrackmeyer, MSc*, Michael Radke, PhD*, Dirk Westermann, MD?, Martina Sauter, DVM?, Carsten Tschöpe, MD?, Wolfgang Poller, MD?, Karin Klingel, MD?, and Michael Gotthardt, MD.*, §

    *Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Cell Biology, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), 13122 Berlin-Buch, Germany,
    ?Department of Cardiology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, D-12200 Berlin, Germany,
    ?Department of Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany,
    §Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology, and Physiology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, 99164 USA.

    Barbara Bachtler
    Press and Public Affairs
    Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch
    Robert-Rössle-Straße 10; 13125 Berlin; Germany
    Phone: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 96
    Fax: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 33
    e-mail: presse@mdc-berlin.de
    http://www.mdc-berlin.de/


    More information:

    http://www.mdc-berlin.de/en/news/2008/20080918-new_mechanism_for_cardiac_arrhyth...


    Images

    Criteria of this press release:
    Biology, Chemistry, Medicine
    transregional, national
    Research results, Scientific Publications
    English


     

    Help

    Search / advanced search of the idw archives
    Combination of search terms

    You can combine search terms with and, or and/or not, e.g. Philo not logy.

    Brackets

    You can use brackets to separate combinations from each other, e.g. (Philo not logy) or (Psycho and logy).

    Phrases

    Coherent groups of words will be located as complete phrases if you put them into quotation marks, e.g. “Federal Republic of Germany”.

    Selection criteria

    You can also use the advanced search without entering search terms. It will then follow the criteria you have selected (e.g. country or subject area).

    If you have not selected any criteria in a given category, the entire category will be searched (e.g. all subject areas or all countries).