Reperfusion injury revisited - Is there a role for growth factor signalingin limiting lethal reperfusion injury?

Myocardial reperfusion injury represents an important therapeutic target. T he ability of several peptide growth factors, including transforming growth factor-beta1, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, cardiotrophin-1 and f ibroblast growth factors, to modify reperfusion injury has been examined in recent studies. The protective effects of these agents may be related to t he inhibition of apoptosis, especially during reperfusion, probably through p42/p44 MAP kinase and PI3-kinase/Akt signaling. Growth factor signaling m ay therefore represent a novel approach for the development of pharmacologi cal strategies that attenuate reperfusion injury in the heart.