Signalling via stress-activated mitogen-activated protein kinases in the cardiovascular system

A number of physiological, pharmacological and pathological stimuli initiat e cardiac hypertrophy. The intracellular signalling events activated by the se stimuli are equally complex. Our ability to treat the hypertrophic and f ailing myocardium effectively will require clarification of which signallin g events regulate growth, remodelling and failure. Much recent attention ha s focused on the regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade s (MAPKs), with the importance of these cascades in the development of card iovascular diseases being extensively explored. These signalling pathways m ay provide one link from the diverse stress and pharmacological extracellul ar stimuli to the regulation of gene expression, contractile protein regula tion and protein function. This review focuses on the recent progress made in the understanding of the regulation and function of MAPKs in the cardiov ascular system, with particular emphasis being placed on the events in the cardiac ventricular myocyte. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.