ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Cardiovascular Effects of Newer Glucose-Lowering Therapies: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2025 | Viewed by 535

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Second Department of Cardiology, Hippokration General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: rheumatoid arthritis; cardiovascular disease; cohort study; antiphospholipid syndrome; phospholipid antibody; prothrombin; maturity onset diabetes of the young; sodium glucose cotransporter 2; cardiovascular system
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Outpatient Department of Cardiometabolic Medicine, Second Department of Cardiology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital “Hippokration”, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: type 2 diabetes mellitus; diabetic complications; cardiovascular disease; heart failure; chronic kidney disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The emergence of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), and dual incretin receptor agonists has revealed unexpected cardioprotective properties that extend beyond glycemic regulation. While clinical trials have demonstrated reduced cardiovascular mortality and heart failure outcomes, the molecular underpinnings of these benefits remain incompletely understood. This Special Issue will focus on deciphering the molecular interactions and signaling pathways through which these therapies mediate cardiovascular protection.

We welcome studies elucidating drug–target interactions at atomic resolution, metabolic reprogramming in cardiac cells, and molecular crosstalk between glycemic control and cardiovascular homeostasis. Of particular interest are investigations in the following areas:

  • Structural biology of drug–receptor complexes;
  • Mitochondrial energetics and redox regulation;
  • Inflammatory pathway modulation (NLRP3, NF-κB);
  • Endothelial mechanotransduction and vascular signaling;
  • The epigenetic regulation of cardiometabolic genes;
  • Organelle-specific effects (e.g., sarcoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes);
  • Novel molecular targets identified through omics approaches.

Dr. Paschalis Karakasis
Dr. Dimitrios Patoulias
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors
  • glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs)
  • dual incretin receptor
  • cardiovascular protection
  • vascular signaling

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

32 pages, 948 KiB  
Review
Inflammasome Signaling in Cardiac Arrhythmias: Linking Inflammation, Fibrosis, and Electrical Remodeling
by Paschalis Karakasis, Konstantinos Pamporis, Panagiotis Theofilis, Nikias Milaras, Panayotis K. Vlachakis, Konstantinos Grigoriou, Dimitrios Patoulias, Theodoros Karamitsos, Antonios P. Antoniadis and Nikolaos Fragakis
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(13), 5954; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26135954 - 20 Jun 2025
Viewed by 423
Abstract
Cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias, remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While structural, electrical, and metabolic remodeling have long been recognized as drivers of arrhythmogenesis, emerging evidence identifies inflammation—particularly inflammasome signaling—as a central orchestrator of this pathological triad. [...] Read more.
Cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias, remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While structural, electrical, and metabolic remodeling have long been recognized as drivers of arrhythmogenesis, emerging evidence identifies inflammation—particularly inflammasome signaling—as a central orchestrator of this pathological triad. Among the various inflammasome complexes, the NLRP3 inflammasome has garnered particular attention due to its activation in cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and immune cells in diverse clinical contexts. NLRP3 activation precipitates a cascade of downstream events, including interleukin-1β and -18 maturation, oxidative stress amplification, calcium mishandling, and extracellular matrix remodeling, thereby fostering a proarrhythmic substrate. This review synthesizes mechanistic and translational data implicating inflammasome signaling in both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, with a focus on cellular specificity and electrophysiological sequelae. We explore upstream triggers, such as metabolic stress, gut dysbiosis, and epicardial adipose inflammation, and delineate the downstream impact on cardiac conduction and structural integrity. Emerging therapeutic strategies—including NLRP3 inhibitors, IL-1 antagonists, colchicine, and SGLT2 inhibitors—are critically appraised for their anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic potential. By bridging molecular insights with clinical application, this review underscores the inflammasome as a unifying mechanistic hub in arrhythmia pathogenesis and a promising target for precision-guided therapy. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop