Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology - contenuto non piu disponibile

Klotho proteins (α- and β-Klotho) are transmembrane proteins whose extracellular domain is secreted into blood and urine by ectodomain shedding. As such they behave as circulating proteins that regulate cell metabolism, endothelial function and calcium homeostasis, as well as modulating the lifespan connected activity of Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs, mainly 21 and 23) and other molecules (1). Recent data have shown that highest levels of plasma circulating Klotho are associated with a lower cardiovascular risk, thereby suggesting a possible role for Klotho in cardiovascular diseases (2). However, although Klotho has been identified in various organs, including kidney, brain, adipose tissue and intestine, it is unknown whether cardiomyocytes express Klotho and FGFs and, if so, whether high cardiovascular risk can be associated with cardiac expression of Klotho, FGFs and other related molecules. We examined myocardial biopsies from 20 patients with an estimated 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in the range of 5% to 7.5% and 10 age-matched control subjects with an estimated 10-year ASCVD risk of