The Impact of Glucocorticoids on Neuregulin-1/ERBB2 Signaling in Cardiomyocyte Proliferation and Heart Regeneration

The adult mammalian heart has poor regenerative ability. Myocardial infarction induces massive loss of cardiomyocytes, which are mainly replaced by fibrotic tissue. Stimulating endogenous cardiomyocyte de-differentiation and proliferation is a novel promising strategy for cardiac repair. Clinical trials for heart failure patients based on the administration of the growth factor Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) are currently underway. However, our findings in mice suggest that NRG1 mitogenic and regenerative activity is compromised in the adult mammalian heart by low amount of its coreceptor ERBB2.