Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Mar 1.
Published in final edited form as: Biomaterials. 2015 Dec 29;82:94–112. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.12.025

Table 1.

Major proteins of interest with functions related to cardiac tissue that should be either promoted or antagonized after MI to induce proper cardiac repair and regeneration.

Protein Abbreviation Main cardiac functions References
Insulin-like growth factor-1 IGF-1 Anti-apoptotic; promote stem cell growth and differentiation [30], [84], [126], [133]
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α HIF-1α Trigger release of angiogenic growth factors and nitric oxide [15], [19-21]
Transforming growth factor-β TGF-β Upregulate fibroblast proliferation, migration, and differentiation; trigger myofibroblast activation [168], [170], [172], [207]
Sonic hedgehog Shh Induce cardiac morphogenesis; anti-apoptotic [23], [91]
Fibroblast growth factor-1 FGF-1 Initiation of angiogenesis; stimulate cardiomyocyte proliferation [21], [23], [113], [229]
Fibroblast growth factor-2 FGF-2 Initiation of angiogenesis; upregulate proliferation, migration, and survival of endothelial cells; induce chemotaxis; anti-apoptotic [19-21], [23], [25], [93]
Vascular endothelial growth factor-A VEGF-A Initiation of angiogenesis; upregulate proliferation, migration, and survival of endothelial cells ; trigger nitric oxide release [19-23]
Platelet-derived growth factor-BB PDGF-BB Upregulate proliferation and chemotaxis of pericytes; promote angiogenesis and neovessel maturation; anti-apoptotic [20], [30], [42], [249]
Angiopoietin-1 Ang-1 Promote stabilization of endothelial cell-pericyte interactions and vessel maturation [41], [44]
Angiopoietin-2 Ang-2 Promote destabilization of endothelial cell-pericyte interactions and vessel extravasation [41], [44]
Hepatocyte growth factor HGF Angiogenic, anti-apoptotic; chemotactic on stem/progenitor cells [33], [34], [126], [219]
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor G-CSF Chemotactic on stem/progenitor cells; anti-apoptotic; angiogenic [31], [85], [125]
Stromal cell-derived factor 1-α SDF1-α Chemotactic on stem/progenitor cells; angiogenic [35], [36], [90], [121], [220]
Erythropoietin EPO Chemotactic on stem/progenitor cells; angiogenic; anti-apoptotic [86-89], [128], [217]
Thymosin-β4 Thymosin-β4 Chemotactic on stem/progenitor cells; angiogenic [30], [127]
Neuregulin-1 NRG-1 Induce cardiomyocyte proliferation; anti-apoptotic [109-112]
Matrix metalloproteinase-2 MMP-2 Promote extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation by catalyzing the proteolysis of ECM proteins [65], [135], [145]
Matrix metalloproteinase-9 MMP-9 Promote extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation by catalyzing the proteolysis of ECM proteins [65], [135], [145]
Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 TIMP-1 Inhibit MMP activity and ECM degradation; anti-apoptotic [93], [152], [154]
Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 TIMP-3 Inhibit MMP activity and ECM degradation; anti-apoptotic; anti-inflammatory [93], [144], [151], [153], [154], [181]
Interleukin-10 IL-10 Anti-inflammatory; anti-apoptotic [71], [72]
Interleukin-1β IL-1β Pro-inflammatory; induce MMP activity [60], [143], [168]
Interleukin-6 IL-6 Pro-inflammatory; upregulate fibroblast proliferation; induce MMP activity [60], [168]
Tumor necrosis factor-α TNF-α Pro-inflammatory; pro-apoptotic; trigger myofibroblast activation; induce MMP activity [60], [67], [68], [143]
Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 MCP-1 Pro-inflammatory; angiogenic; chemoattractant [29], [66], [132]