CNIC researchers link obesity to impaired heart relaxation

Researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigación Cardiovascular Carlos III (CNIC) have identified a specific mechanism by which obesity impairs heart relaxation. The study, published in the journal Cardiovascular Research, demonstrates that the activation of the glucocorticoid receptor acts as a causal mechanism for early diastolic dysfunction associated with obesity.

This condition, known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), affects an estimated 23 million people globally. In these cases, the heart maintains its ability to contract but struggles to relax and fill with blood properly. While obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and sleep apnea are all linked to this condition, the study helps isolate the specific molecular pathways triggered by obesity.

Led by Enrique Lara-Pezzi, the team utilized single-nucleus RNA sequencing to analyze approximately 50,000 nuclei from the left ventricle in animal models. This research could pave the way for personalized treatments tailored to the specific molecular cause of a patient's cardiac injury.