The role of insulin-like and basic fibroblast growth factors on ischemic and infarcted myocardium: A mini review

Current therapeutic techniques in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are inadequate since restoration of blood flow through the obstructed coronary artery does not always preserve the ischemic myocardium. Therefore, deterioration of cardiac function and detrimental left ventricular remodeling may follow. Alternative therapeutic modalities are now being actively sought. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) are two polypeptides found in wide distribution and high concentrations in the normal myocardium. They play a key role in vascular growth (FGF) and affect the differentiation of cardiac myocytes (IGF). IGF has been found to promote physiological forms of cardiac hypertrophy, and FGF induces neovascularization. During myocardial ischemia and infarction there is a marked elevation in the concentration of these growth promoting factors in the myocardium concomitant with increased coronary collateral blood flow, neovascularization and peri-infarct hypertrophy. In animal models of myocardial infarction, exogenous administration of FGF and IGF induced neovascularization and cardiac hypertrophy thus, preserving cardiac function. We assume that these growth factors may become an additional tool in the future treatment of patients with AMI. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.