Basement membrane-derived matricryptins as a new target molecule for heart failure treatment

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex of non-cellular macromolecules which is indispensable not only for maintaining tissue structure but also for regulating the functions of surrounding cells via cell-ECM interaction. Recently, a number of ECM fragments termed "matricryptins" have been identified as novel endogenous bioactive substances, which usually have different bioactivity from that of original ECM. Because most matricryptins derived from basement membrane have anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor effects, they have been initially studied for developing anti-tumor agents. Meanwhile, there are several reports indicating that the expression of basement membrane-derived matricryptins changes in the heart tissue from experimental animal models as well as in the circulating blood from patients with cardiac diseases. Thus, it is logical to hypothesize that the basement membrane-derived matricryptins play roles in the development of cardiac diseases. In this article, we would like to introduce current findings on the functions of matricryptins including ours and discuss the possibility that they serve as a novel target for the treatment of heart failure.