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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2006;30:604-610
© 2006 Elsevier Science NL

Reviews

The relationship between myocardial extracellular matrix remodeling and ventricular function

Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, United States

Received 28 April 2006; received in revised form 10 July 2006; accepted 13 July 2006.

^_* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 803 733 1536; fax: +1 803 733 1533. (Email: jjanicki{at}gw.med.sc.edu).

Elevations in myocardial stress initiate structural remodeling of the heart in an attempt to normalize the imposed stress. This remodeling consists of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and changes in the amount of collagen, collagen phenotype and collagen cross-linking. Since fibrillar collagen is a relatively stiff material, a decrease in collagen can result in a more compliant ventricle while an increase in collagen or collagen cross-linking results in a stiffer ventricle. If continued elevations in wall stress exceed the ability of the heart to compensate, then the ventricular wall thickness is disproportionately reduced compared to chamber volume and diastolic and systolic dysfunction ensues. This review describes the structural organization of collagen within the myocardium, discusses its effect on ventricular function and considers whether therapy aimed at reducing fibrosis is efficacious in heart failure. The evidence indicates that chamber stiffness can clearly be affected by alterations in both collagen quantity and quality, with the effect of changes in collagen concentration being modified by the extent of collagen cross-linking. The limited evidence available regarding the effects of collagen on systolic function indicates that pharmacological attempts to reduce interstitial collagen have a negative impact. Accordingly, a shift in treatment strategies directed more specifically at affecting collagen cross-linking, rather than reducing the concentration of collagen, may be warranted in the prevention of the adverse impact of collagen alterations on myocardial remodeling.

Key Words: Fibrosis • Collagen • Cross-linking • Collagen types • Myocardial remodeling • Hypertrophy

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