Cardiovascular research
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Cardiovascular research · Jul 2009
The targeting of cyclophilin D by RNAi as a novel cardioprotective therapy: evidence from two-photon imaging.
An opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP), which leads to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)), is the earliest event that commits cells to death, and this process is potentially a prime target for therapeutic intervention against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion. We aimed to investigate the protective effects of RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene silencing of cyclophilin D (CypD), one of the putative components of the MPTP, against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion using two-photon laser scanning microscopy. ⋯ Therapeutic interventions designed to inactivate CypD may be a promising strategy for reducing cardiac injury against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion. The two-photon imaging technique provides deeper insight into cardioprotective therapy that targets mitochondria.