A1 – Analysis of the Coxsackievirus-Adenovirus-Receptor (CAR) in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathies
Gotthardt - Poller

A2 – Molecular mechanisms of matrix remodeling in inflammatory cardiomyopathy
Pauschinger

A3 – Relevance of myokardial Tissue Factor Expression for cardiac contractility and structural integrity in inflammatory cardiomyopathy
Rauch

A4 – Transcriptional regulatory networks in inflammatory cardiomyopathy and their therapeutic implications
Orzechowski - Paul

A common goal of the four projects of SFB project area A is the elucidation of structural foundations of cardiac viral infections at the cellular and molecular level. Improved insight into these foundations will help to explain the highly variable individual disease predispositions and clinical courses among different individuals. Moreover, better knowledge in this field may reveal new therapeutic target structures. TP A1 deals with the biological and pathophysiological roles of virus receptors as key structures for the initiation and course of viral infections of the myocardium and other cardiovascular target tissues. TP A2 deals with the components of cardiac matrix remodelling, their dysregulation and possible therapeutic modulation during the course of DCMi. TP A3 investigates the possible relevance of Tissue Factor as a myocardial structural protein showing massive dysregulation in DCMi hearts. TP A4 investigates the cellular transcriptional apparatus and its dysregulation by cardiopathogenic viruses and may identify potential new therapeutic targets.