Key result
Amino acid metabolism dysregulation is linked to cardiovascular disease via mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation.
Why the study?
While cardiac fatty acid and glucose metabolism have been extensively studied, the contribution of amino acid metabolism to cardiac physiology, cardiovascular disease, and therapeutic targeting is gaining increasing attention.
This review summarizes the mechanistic role of amino acid metabolism in cardiac physiology and disease, highlighting emerging therapeutic strategies and ongoing clinical trials targeting these pathways in cardiovascular disease.
Modulation of cardiac amino acid metabolism may offer novel CVD therapies; leaves open confirmation of clinical benefit in ongoing trials.
As a metabolically versatile organ, the heart is capable of generating energy from a wide range of substrates. Although fatty acid and glucose metabolism in the heart have been extensively studied, the contribution of amino acid metabolism to cardiac physiology and disease is gaining increasing attention. A range of amino acids, including branched-chain amino acids, glutamine and glutamate, asparagine, glycine, tryptophan and alanine, play integral roles in signalling pathways that orchestrate key adaptive and maladaptive changes in the myocardium, under both physiological and pathological stress. Dysregulation of these pathways is associated with cardiovascular disease such as heart failure, hypertension, myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis, via mechanisms involving impaired mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and inflammation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of amino acid metabolism in the heart, including sulphur amino acids, their role in relation to cardiovascular disease and emerging therapeutic strategies targeting amino acid metabolism in the heart. Finally, this review also discusses current and ongoing clinical trials targeting amino acid metabolism with the aim of finding potential therapeutic targets in cardiovascular disease.
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Azam et al. (2026) conducted a review in Cardiovascular disease (heart failure, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and atherosclerosis). Therapeutic strategies targeting cardiac amino acid metabolism was evaluated. Amino acid metabolism dysregulation is linked to cardiovascular diseases via mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation, offering potential therapeutic targets.
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