How the virus behind COVID-19 can harm your blood vessels and your heart
It started as a respiratory illness—or so everyone thought. But it quickly became apparent that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was so much more.
Cardiology
Study reveals how cancer immunotherapy may cause myocarditis in some patients
Some patients being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of cancer immunotherapy, develop a dangerous form of heart inflammation called myocarditis.
Researchers discover how chronic inflammation worsens heart failure
If you cut your arm or undergo surgery, scarring can be a good thing; the scar tissue produced by cells called fibroblasts helps you heal. In most organs of the body, however, the accumulation of scarring (called fibrosis) is a sign of chronic disease …
Antibody that reduces inflammation may serve as cardio-immunotherapy for heart failure patients
A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that a type of immunotherapy—similar to that approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis—also may be an effective …
New cardiovascular disease risk marker discovered in older women
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified a new potential risk marker for cardiovascular disease in women. A new study shows an association between low levels of an anti-inflammatory antibody and the risk of heart attack and coronary heart d…
The molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac repair
A paper, “Macrophages suppress cardiac reprogramming of fibroblasts in vivo via IFN-mediated intercellular self-stimulating circuit,” published in Protein & Cell uncovers a previously unappreciated mechanism by which macrophages influence the fate of C…
Tiny killers: How autoantibodies attack the heart in lupus patients
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients suffering from lupus, an autoimmune disease in which our immune system attacks our own tissues and organs, the heart, blood, lung, joints, brain, and skin. Lupus myocarditis—inflammation …
Platelets under control: Protecting the heart and brain more effectively after an infarction
An unhealthy lifestyle, diseases or injuries, genetic predisposition, and increased coagulation tendency can promote the formation of thrombi in blood vessels. These clots obstruct the flow of blood to vital organs, which may lead to life-threatening i…
High levels of a specific antibody may contribute to acute coronary syndrome, investigators say
How a person’s immune system responds to a protein called LL-37 may increase the risk of developing acute coronary syndrome, but the response may also serve as a potential target for future treatments. These findings come from a research study led by i…
Brain-heart axis study finds strokes change epigenetics of immune system
A stroke not only causes acute damage to the brain, but can also have long-term health implications for other organs—such as the heart. “However, there has been little research to date on the effects of brain injuries on systemic immunity,” says Profes…