Heart failure breakthrough: Scientists identify protein that promotes chronic condition

They believe the protein exacerbates chronic heart problems, and by inhibiting it, they reckon they could help treat a disease that affects more than 20 million worldwide.

Chronic heart failure is caused by a variety of conditions that damage the heart, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

Although the heart initially tries to compensate for this damage and maintain its function by growing larger, cardiac function gradually declines until the heart is no longer able to pump

enough blood and oxygen around the body.

The Japanese team of scientists from Nagoya University School of Medicine were led by Dr Mikito Takefuji.

They discovered a signalling protein called corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 2 (Crhr2) is expressed on the surface of heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, and that Crhr2 levels

increase in mice suffering from heart failure.

Crhr2 is a G protein-coupled receptor whose ability to alter cardiomyocyte function is activated by a protein called urocortin 2 (Ucn2).

That Crhr2 blockade could be a promising therapeutic strategy

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Ucn2 levels were elevated in the blood of both mice and human patients with chronic heart failure, the researchers found.

The team discovered that they could reduce cardiac function by treating healthy mice with Ucn2.

Dr Takefuji said: "Our results suggest that constitutive Crhr2 activation causes cardiac dysfunction and that Crhr2 blockade could be a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with

chronic heart failure."

A small molecule that inhibits Crhr2 was similarly effective in maintaining cardiac function after damage to the heart.

The study 'Corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 2 exacerbates chronic cardiac dysfunction' was published last week in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

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