Department of Biomedical and Nueuromotor Sciences – University of Bologna, ITALY
Contribution of Desmin Cytoskeleton Pathobiology to Heart Failure Development
Host: S. Zacchigna
Abstract
Assistant Professor, at University of Bologna. The Center for Research on Cardiac Intermediate Filaments (CRCIF), which just recently relocated to University of Bologna from Johns Hopkins University, was created to foster collaboration projects aimed at elucidating the pathophysiological role of this understudied component of the cytoskeleton in cardiovascular disease. Desmin is the main protein component of the cardiac intermediate filaments. The accumulation of cleaved desmin, as well as its misfolding, are hallmarks of cardiac dysfunction in numerous experimental models of heart disease as well as clinical specimens. The loss of cell ultrastructure arising from desmin cleavage in the highly organized cardiac cell was proposed as a straightforward cause of contractile dysfunction. In addition, protein misfolding is emerging as a major contributor to the development of cardiovascular disease. We use a combination of cell and molecular biology, advanced biochemistry, experimental models of cardiovascular disease, and human samples to study how desmin’s loss and gain of (toxic) function can be therapeutically targeted to preserve the function of the heart. Our goal is to use basic science to understand and prevent the development of cardiac dysfunction. At the same time we use models of heart disease as a “material lab” to understand the biological function of intermediate filaments.
International Seminar Programme
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