Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is driven by sarcomeric mutations that cause energetic failure and secondary inflammation. This study demonstrates that targeting this metabolic-inflammatory axis with pioglitazone or its peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma inactive enantiomer, R-pioglitazone, reverses disease progression in a murine HCM model. Both agents restored mitochondrial function (including Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier 1 [MPC1] levels) and resolved inflammation. Notably, R-pioglitazone showed superior efficacy, reducing interstitial fibrosis by >95% and hypertrophy by 33% without affecting healthy control hearts. These findings identify R-pioglitazone as a promising, mechanism-based candidate for disease-modifying therapy in HCM.
FörderungenPrincipal investigator of the Transregio Research Units by German Research Foundation European Research Council (ERCAd) German Research Foundation-Transregio Research Units European Research Council-ERCAd Stiftung Kinderherz Else-Kroener Fresenius Stiftung and Foerderverein des Deutschen Herzzentrums