Mitochondrial fusion and fission proteins as novel therapeutic targets for treating cardiovascular disease

Eur J Pharmacol. 2015 Sep 15;763(Pt A):104-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2015.04.056. Epub 2015 May 16.

Abstract

The past decade has witnessed a number of exciting developments in the field of mitochondrial dynamics - a phenomenon in which changes in mitochondrial shape and movement impact on cellular physiology and pathology. By undergoing fusion and fission, mitochondria are able to change their morphology between elongated interconnected networks and discrete fragmented structures, respectively. The cardiac mitochondria, in particular, have garnered much interest due to their unique spatial arrangement in the adult cardiomyocyte, and the multiple roles they play in cell death and survival. In this article, we review the role of the mitochondrial fusion and fission proteins as novel therapeutic targets for treating cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: Calcineurin (PubChem CID:16219117); Chemical compounds studied in this article; Drp1; Dynasore (PubChem CID:5717066); MFN1; MFN2; Mitochondrial fission; Mitochondrial fusion; OPA1; Phenylephrine (PubChem CID:6041); mdivi-1 (PubChem CID:3825829).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / metabolism*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / pathology
  • Humans
  • Mitochondrial Dynamics / drug effects*
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods*

Substances

  • Mitochondrial Proteins