Recent Progress of Autophagy in Cardiovascular Disease

Dear Colleagues,

Autophagy, a fundamental cellular process involved in the degradation and recycling of cellular components, has emerged as a critical regulator of cardiovascular health and disease. This intricate process plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular homeostasis by removing damaged organelles and protein aggregates, thus protecting cells against stress-induced damage, and promoting their survival. However, dysregulation of autophagy has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, and atherosclerosis. Recent advances in gene editing technologies have provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying autophagy regulation and its therapeutic potential in cardiovascular medicine. Genetic manipulation of key autophagy-related genes offers a promising approach for modulating autophagic activity and attenuating disease progression. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests that pharmacological modulation of autophagy holds promise as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

In this Special Issue of Bioengineering, we seek to explore the intricate interplay between autophagy and cardiovascular pathology, with a focus on recent advancements in cardiovascular tissue engineering and gene editing technologies. We invite researchers to contribute original research articles, reviews, and methodological studies that investigate the role of autophagy in cardiovascular health and disease. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the molecular mechanisms of autophagy regulation, the impact of autophagy dysregulation on cardiovascular pathophysiology, and the development of novel autophagy-targeted therapies for cardiovascular diseases.

Thank you for your attention and contributions to this important field of research.

Dr. Lu Zhang
Dr. Liang Hong
Prof. Dr. George Truskey
Guest Editors

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• autophagy
• gene edit
• myocardial infarction
• heart failure
• atherosclerosis
• cardiovascular tissue engineering