Summary: Immune and inflammatory modulators as potential therapeutic targets for cardiac diseases

Abstract

Over the past several years, evidence has been accumulated that the immune and inflammatory systems play a role in diverse diseases. This recognition has been captured in key reviews in a special issue of Nature, where the role of inflammation in diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, central nervous system and infections has been highlighted [1]. In this perspective, heart diseases are no exceptions. As illustrated in the book Inflammation and Cardiac Diseases, immune and inflammatory processes figure prominently in all aspects of human heart diseases — ischemia, heart failure, myocarditis, arrhythmias, and reperfusion injuries. It is, however, important to note that the role of the immune and inflammatory systems in cardiac diseases as discussed in this book focus only on cardiac diseases that are direct outcome of injuries to the heart itself, such as myocardial infarction, myocarditis, arrhythmia or idiopathic disorders of the heart. However, cardiovascular organs may become “casualties” of inflammatory processes associated with other organs. Immune and inflammatory conditions such as gingivitis, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus have been associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality [2-6]. Of particular interest are very recent observations on increased coronary neointima formation in rheumatoid arthritis patients, which could directly explain the increase risk for heart attacks via circulatory humoralmediators of inflammation [7]. These aspects of cardiac disease risk, although beyond the primary focus of the book, are inferred in several chapters such as those dealing with coronary inflammation and systemic inflammatory factors.