Towards Precision in HF Pharmacotherapy

Resuscitating the Field of Cardiac Regeneration: Seeking Answers from Basic Biology

Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes for hospital admissions worldwide. HF patients are classified based on the chronic changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as preserved (LVEF ≥ 50%), reduced (LVEF ≤ 40%), or mid-ranged (40% < LVEF < 50%) HFs. Treatments nowadays can prevent HFrEF progress, whereas only a few of the treatments have been proven to be effective in improving the survival of HFpEF. In this review, numerous mediators involved in the pathogenesis of HF are summarized. The regional upstream signaling and their diagnostic and therapeutic potential are also discussed. Additionally, the recent challenges and development in cardiac regenerative therapy that hold opportunities for future research and clinical translation are discussed.

A common variant of RIP3 promoter region is associated with poor prognosis in heart failure patients by influencing SOX17 binding

Receptor‐interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) is a key determinant of necroptosis and participates in ischaemia—and oxidative stress‐induced necroptosis, myocardial remodelling and heart failure (HF). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that common variants in RIP3 gene were associated with the risk and prognosis of HF in the Chinese Han population. By re‐sequencing and luciferase assays, we identified a common functional variant in the RIP3 promoter region. The rs3212247‐T allele suppressed RIP3 promoter activity by facilitating transcription factor SOX17 binding, but not the C allele. We further recruited 2961 control participants and 3194 HF patients who underwent a mean follow‐up of 19 months (6‐31 months) for this study. Rs3212247 and another missense variant rs3212254 were genotyped. Although rs3212247 did not significantly associate with increased risk of HF (odds ratio = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.92‐1.08, P = 0.91), it raised the risk for cardiovascular death and cardiac transplantation (hazard ratio = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.13‐1.91, P = 0.004). Moreover, participants carrying the rs3212247 CC genotype had higher plasma levels of RIP3 than those carrying the TT or TC genotype (p for trend = 0.02) in New York Heart Association class III HF group. No association was found between the RIP3 missense variant rs3212254 and risk or prognosis of HF after adjustment for traditional risk factors. In conclusion, genetic variant in RIP3 promoter region is associated with increased RIP3 transcription, thus contributed to the poor prognosis of HF patients. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03461107?term=03461107&cond=Heart+Failure&cntry=CN&rank=1. Unique identifier: NCT03461107.