Master switches in cardiac ischemia. CRC 1116

The CRC 1116 analyzes the sequelae and reactions after an acute myocardial infarction in experimental, preclinical and clinical investigations. The fundamental aim of the CRC 1116 "Master switches in cardiac ischemia" is the identification of new target structures in the form of central molecular or pathophysiological reactions that are critical for the acute and subacute response to myocardial ischemia and which we define as "master switches". The CRC 1116 deliberately includes systemic influences on the ischemic/reperfused heart, such as systemic responses of the immune system, metabolic comorbidities (overweight, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, T2DM), anemia and peripheral ischemia/ reperfusion. The research program is divided into two conceptional subsections. Subsection A "Intracellular and cellular effectors" is dedicated to important aspects of the pathophysiological response in the heart. Subsection B "metabolic effectors and systemic interferences" focusses on the complex interactions between healing of the infarct and cardiac adaptation and systemic effectors and comorbidities. The network of CRC 1116 therefore aims at the identification of new therapeutic target structures (master switches) taking the specific pathophysiological context determined by comorbidities and systemic communication into consideration. The investigation of these master switches of the acute and subacute phases after myocardial ischemia contributes to a better estimation of the individual risk after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and enables the development of new context-specific treatment options, which consider the infarct as a systemic disease and therefore ultimately improve the long-term perspective of the patient.