Ricerc@Sapienza

ANP is a cardiac hormone secreted by atria, which elicits diuretic and vasorelaxant effects. ANP also plays important pleiotropic functions in the heart through paracrine mechanisms. It limits cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction in response to stress independently of blood pressure. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of ANP in the cardiovascular system still need to be elucidated. We will evaluate for the first time and through different experimental approaches whether ANP protects cardiovascular structure and function against metabolic abnormalities and mechanical stress through the activation of autophagy, a protective intracellular degradation process of damaged proteins and organelles. We will also test whether ANP promotes survival and regenerative capacities of resident/transplanted cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs), thereby favoring myocardial regeneration after injury.