VEGF-C-mediated cardiac lymphangiogenesis promotes inflammation resolution in autoimmune acute myocarditis in mice
This study identifies the cardiac lymphatic network as a modifiable immunoregulatory compartment in myocarditis. Therapeutic lymphangiogenesis via VEGF-C not only improves lymphatic drainage but also selectively modulates inflammatory macrophage subsets, leading to improved cardiac outcomes. These findings support VEGFR3-directed lymphangiogenic stimulation as a promising treatment for autoimmune and inflammatory cardiomyopathies that currently lack effective disease-modifying therapies.
Authors
- Michiaki Hiroe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1746-8585)
- Kaoru Dohi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5078-6326)
- Keiki Nagaharu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6139-4256)
- Ryo Matsuyama
- Shiro Nakamori (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8165-5268)
- Kazuaki Maruyama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3935-328X)
- Nagako Nakanishi
- Shigeru Hara
- Ryuji Okamoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8067-398X)
- Soyoka Fujita
- Kyoko Imanaka-Yoshida
Institutions
- Mie University (JP)
- Lund University (SE)
- National Center for Global Health and Medicine (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cardiovascular Research
- Published
- 2026-03-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvag057
- Primary Topic
- Lymphatic System and Diseases
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00