How does high blood pressure cause scarring in people with heart failure?

Mechanosensitive molecular mechanisms of myocardial fibrosis: A multicellular approach

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is an increasing common form of heart failure, but the mechanisms underlying the condition remain unclear. HFpEF is known to be characterised by a type of scarring called fibrosis – a process where the heart muscle produces large amounts of a stiff material called collagen in response to high blood pressure. The heart is then less efficient at relaxing and filling with blood. This causes people with this condition to feel breathless and in some cases can lead to premature death. Exactly how high blood pressure causes fibrosis is still unknown and there is currently no treatment. They are currently no models that can recreate the environment of the HFpEF heart. In this project, Professor Cesare Terracciano and his team want to create a novel system to better mimic the conditions affecting the heart of people with HFpEF. They will apply mechanical forces known to cause fibrosis, which mimic changes in blood pressure, to slices of heart tissue that have been removed during surgery. They will then study the cells within the heart slices. This new technique will give crucial insight into the mechanisms of heart fibrosis, and could make it possible to develop treatments that can prevent it.