Apoptosis in heart: basic mechanisms and implications in cardiovascular diseases.

Apoptosis has been implicated in both acute and chronic heart diseases. The loss of myocardium is an important pathogenic process in heart and, hence, the inhibition of apoptosis is a promising therapeutic option. Significant progress has been made in demonstrating the role of apoptosis in various heart diseases, and in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of cardiac apoptosis. In addition, the effects of various hypertrophic signaling molecules on apoptosis have been characterized. However, the significance of apoptosis to the overall pathogenesis of heart failure, and the relationship between cardiac hypertrophic signaling and apoptosis still needs further investigation.