Adenosinergic Control of Cell Death in Ischaemic-Reperfused Myocardium

尽管在过去十年中心脏病死亡率有所下降，但心血管疾病仍然是我国人口过早死亡和残疾的一个主要原因。在心脏病发作期间，决定预后的最重要因素是细胞死亡的程度。因此，我们能做的最有价值的事情就是减少心脏病发作期间和之后死亡的心肌细胞的数量。近年来，我们已经了解到，心脏病发作时细胞死亡是通过一个被称为细胞凋亡（或程序性细胞死亡）的活跃过程发生的。限制心脏细胞凋亡的新治疗策略是非常需要的。本研究项目将研究一种局部产生的化学物质（称为腺苷）通过多种途径非常有效地减少这种死亡形式的可能性。通过了解心脏自身的一种内在防御机制（腺苷系统）的功能，有可能设计出治疗和管理缺血性心脏病的新治疗方法。

Despite a decline in death rates due to heart disease over the last decade, cardiovascular disease remains a major cause of premature death and disability in our population. During a heart attack the single most important factor determining outcome is the extent of cell death. Thus, the most valuable thing we can do is reduce the numbers of cardiac cells which die during and following heart attack. In recent years we have learned that cell death during a heart attack occurs via an active process termed apoptosis (or programmed cell death). Novel therapeutic strategies for limiting cardiac apoptosis are highly desirable. This research project will examine the possibility that a locally generated chemical (termed adenosine) can very effectively reduce this form of death via multiple pathways. By understanding how one of the heart's own intrinsic defense mechanisms functions (the adenosine system), it may be possible to design new therapeutic approaches for treatment and management of ischaemic heart disease.