Rad GTPase Deletion Attenuates Post-Ischemic Cardiac Dysfunction and Remodeling

Visual Abstract
Highlights • Rad-GTPase is an LTCC component that functions to govern calcium current in the myocardium. • Deletion of Rad increases myocardial contractility secondary to increased trigger calcium entry. • AMI induces heart failure, including reduced calcium homeostasis, but deletion of Rad prevents AMI myocardial calcium alterations. • Rad deletion prevents post-MI scar spread by attenuating the inflammatory response. • Future studies will explore whether Rad deletion is an effective therapeutic direction for providing combined safe, stable inotropic support to the failing heart in concert with protection against inflammatory signaling.
Summary The protein Rad interacts with the L-type calcium channel complex to modulate trigger Ca2+ and hence to govern contractility. Reducing Rad levels increases cardiac output. Ablation of Rad also attenuated the inflammatory response following acute myocardial infarction. Future studies to target deletion of Rad in the heart could be conducted to establish a novel treatment paradigm whereby pathologically stressed hearts would be given safe, stable positive inotropic support without arrhythmias and without pathological structural remodeling. Future investigations will also focus on establishing inhibitors of Rad and testing the efficacy of Rad deletion in cardioprotection relative to the time of onset of acute myocardial infarction.