Monocyte-specific Bcl-2 expression attenuates inflammation and heart failure in monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)-induced cardiomyopathy

摘要

ObjectiveInfiltrating inflammatory cells within the myocardium have been shown to be apoptotic, but the significance of apoptotic inflammatory cells to the development of cardiomyopathy remains undefined. Transgenic mice with cardiac-specific expression of MCP-1 exhibit extensive apoptosis of infiltrating mononuclear cells and develop heart failure. Here, we tested the hypothesis that in vivo selective inhibition of apoptosis of infiltrating mononuclear cells would preserve cardiac structure and function and improve survival in this murine model.