Lysyl oxidase in the pathology of the heart

Cardiovascular pathology is currently one of the main causes of disability and mortality of the able-bodied population. Fibrosis, an overgrowth of connective tissue, occupies one of the main places among the diseases of this pathology. The formation of fibrous tissue is determined by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components and is an important phase of the reparative process. The lysyl oxidase and lysyl oxidase-like proteins enzyme play an important role in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix, controlling its formation by binding collagen or elastin fibers. It is known that in the heart, in addition to cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts represent the largest population of cells, among which the synthetically active are fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, which produce fibrous structures of the extracellular matrix, among which collagen in the heart is considered predominant. Of all the types of collagen, the most common are type I and type III collagens, which are responsible for the strength and elasticity of the matrix network. Lysyl oxidase includes 5 representatives: the enzyme itself and 4 lysyl oxidase-like proteins. The enzyme and its proteins are copper-containing amino oxidases that catalyze the oxidation of lysine, forming strong cross-links between lysine fragments of fibrous structures of the extracellular matrix, regulating its homeostasis and remodeling. The functional state of the heart directly depends on the composition and structure of the extracellular matrix. Dynamic changes in protein expression occur in various cardiovascular pathologies; It is believed that these changes play a key role in the associated tissue fibrosis. Therapeutic effects on enzymes of the lysyl oxidase family have shown promising results in animal models, but are at an early stage of development and require further study. The PubMed and eLibrary databases for the period 1968–2024 were analyzed using the following keywords: lysyl oxidase, fibrosis, connective tissue, heart pathology.