Cardiac mechanotransduction: from sensing to disease and treatment

In heart muscle a mechanical stimulus is sensed and transformed into adapti ve changes in cardiac function by a process called mechanotransduction. Ada ptation of heart muscle to mechanical load consists of neurohumoral activat ion and growth, both of which decrease the initial load. Under prolonged ov erload this process becomes maladaptive, leading to the development of left ventricular hypertrophy end ultimately to heart failure. Widespread synerg ism end crosstalk among a variety of molecules and signals involved in hype rtrophic signaling pathways make the prevention or treatment of left ventri cular hypertrophy and heart failure a challenging task. Therapeutic strateg ies should include either a complete and continuous reduction of load or no rmalization of left ventricular mass by interventions aimed at specific tar gets involved in mechanotransduction.