{"title":"ApoC-III inhibition: from regulatory approval to equitable implementation","authors":"Daniel Gaudet, Miriam Larouche, Erik S. G. Stroes","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01281-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41569-026-01281-z","url":null,"abstract":"Apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III) inhibition represents a major therapeutic advance in the management of severe hypertriglyceridaemia and pancreatitis. The potential role of apoC-III inhibition in preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease will depend on rigorous outcomes data, appropriate patient selection and equitable implementation across healthcare systems. Beyond the lowering of triglyceride levels, meaningful clinical benefits and broad accessibility will determine the long-term success of this therapeutic approach.","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":"23 5","pages":"299-300"},"PeriodicalIF":44.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147506735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ANP produced from self-amplifying RNA improves cardiac function after MI","authors":"Gregory B. Lim","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01282-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41569-026-01282-y","url":null,"abstract":"In a new study, treatment with self-amplifying RNA contained in lipid nanoparticles to increase the production of atrial natriuretic peptide preserved ventricular function and reduced cardiac fibrosis in mouse and pig models of myocardial infarction.","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":"23 5","pages":"302-302"},"PeriodicalIF":44.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147506736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alberto Aimo,Giorgia Panichella,Eleonora Tommasi,Elena Revuelta-López,Elisabet Berastegui,Antoni Bayes-Genis
{"title":"The effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on cardiovascular disease: mechanisms and perspectives.","authors":"Alberto Aimo,Giorgia Panichella,Eleonora Tommasi,Elena Revuelta-López,Elisabet Berastegui,Antoni Bayes-Genis","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01277-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-026-01277-9","url":null,"abstract":"Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are pervasive environmental pollutants that result from the degradation of plastic materials and the use of plastic-containing products. Although the accumulation of MNPs in the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems is well documented, growing evidence suggests that MNPs can translocate into the bloodstream and accumulate in cardiovascular tissue, raising concerns about their potential role in the development of cardiovascular disease. In this Review, we synthesize the current knowledge on MNP exposure routes, tissue distribution and biological effects relevant to cardiovascular health. We examine the latest clinical and experimental studies on the presence of MNPs in the blood, atherosclerotic plaques, thrombi and myocardial tissue, and critically evaluate the mechanistic evidence linking MNPs to endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis progression, myocardial injury and arrhythmogenesis. In vitro and in vivo data highlight plausible pathophysiological pathways linking MNPs to cardiovascular disease, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation and fibrotic remodelling. However, causal associations remain unproven in humans, and major methodological challenges persist, including inconsistent detection methods, limited epidemiological data and inadequate modelling of real-world exposure. We conclude by outlining research priorities and proposing a framework for how to integrate MNPs into environmental cardiology practice. As the global issue of plastic pollution intensifies, elucidating the cardiovascular risks posed by MNPs represents an urgent interdisciplinary challenge with substantial public health implications.","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":49.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147502459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Inflammatory signalling in diabetic cardiomyopathy: molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies.","authors":"Miles J De Blasio,Rebecca H Ritchie","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01274-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-026-01274-y","url":null,"abstract":"Diabetes mellitus and the associated increased risk of cardiovascular disease is a major health-care issue worldwide. Diabetic cardiomyopathy, a complication of diabetes mellitus, is driven primarily by hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia, which promote cardiac oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and pathological cardiac remodelling, leading to impaired cardiac function and eventual heart failure. Over the past 30 years, research on diabetic cardiomyopathy and other diabetes-associated cardiovascular diseases has focused on the role of chronic inflammation. Inflammation is a complex process involving pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, activation of resident immune cells, and recruitment of immune cells to sites of injury, processes that are exacerbated in the setting of diabetes. Evidence now suggests that the inflammatory processes caused by persistent hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia in diabetes contribute to the impairment of cardiac function. Importantly, no treatment options are available to reverse diabetic cardiomyopathy, with clinicians relying on strategies to delay or halt the progression of the disease. In this Review, we describe the inflammatory signalling pathways involved in diabetic cardiomyopathy and discuss strategies that can potentially be used to target these inflammatory pathways for the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy.","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":49.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147489967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Solving the mystery of vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis.","authors":"Julie Rayes,Jagadeesh Bayry","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01279-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-026-01279-7","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":"86 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":49.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147478533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Addressing the Lp(a) hypothesis: will lowering Lp(a) decrease the risk of cardiovascular events?","authors":"Marlys L. Koschinsky, Michael B. Boffa","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01278-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41569-026-01278-8","url":null,"abstract":"Elevated plasma concentrations of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) are an important risk factor for several cardiovascular diseases. However, to date, elevated Lp(a) levels have not been directly targeted by clinicians because Lp(a) levels are almost entirely genetically determined and are comparatively resistant to standard lipid-lowering therapies. This unmet medical need might soon be addressed with the advent of potent Lp(a)-lowering therapies.","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":"23 5","pages":"293-295"},"PeriodicalIF":44.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147471365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cardiac lymphatic dysfunction and repair in cardiovascular disease.","authors":"Ebba Brakenhielm","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01271-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-026-01271-1","url":null,"abstract":"The field of cardiac lymphatic research has expanded considerably over the past decade. Clinical studies have uncovered lymphatic remodelling in a wide range of cardiovascular diseases, and experimental research has demonstrated that these structural alterations often lead to dysfunction of lymphatic transport. Given the vital physiological role of lymphatics, insufficient lymphatic drainage can affect several aspects of cardiac pathophysiology, including myocardial fluid balance, the immune microenvironment, collagen turnover and lipid handling. In this Review, current knowledge on cardiac lymphatics is summarized, including the structural and molecular specializations underlying their diverse homeostatic functions, and how these features can be altered in cardiovascular diseases. The latest research on the effects of inflammation on lymphatics is presented, together with the mechanisms by which lymphatics modulate immunity. The regulation of cardiac lymphangiogenesis is discussed, including accumulating evidence of immune cell-lymphatic crosstalk in the heart, the role of metabolic and biomechanical stimulation of lymphangiogenesis, and examples of experimental approaches to therapeutic lymphangiogenesis and their current limitations. Finally, areas for future research are highlighted, including the translation of lymphatic imaging and lymphangiogenic therapies to the clinic for patients with cardiovascular disease.","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":49.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147439454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sina Rashedi, Hannah Leyva, Saman A Siddiqui, Syed Bukhari, Mariana B Pfeferman, Nathan W Watson, Francisco Ujueta, Mehrdad Zarghami, Bassil Bacare, Yogendra Kanthi, David Jimenez, Manuel Monreal, Deborah M Siegal, Geoffrey D Barnes, John W Eikelboom, Michelle L O'Donoghue, Christian T Ruff, Mattia Galli, Brittany N Weber, Samuel Z Goldhaber, Sacha Uljon, Saskia Middeldorp, Renato D Lopes, David A Garcia, Gregory Y H Lip, Jeffery I Weitz, Jean M Connors, Harlan M Krumholz, Jason S Knight, Giuseppe Lippi, Mitchell S V Elkind, Mary Cushman, Karen H Costenbader, Gregory Piazza, Behnood Bikdeli
{"title":"Antiphospholipid antibodies and cardiovascular thrombosis.","authors":"Sina Rashedi, Hannah Leyva, Saman A Siddiqui, Syed Bukhari, Mariana B Pfeferman, Nathan W Watson, Francisco Ujueta, Mehrdad Zarghami, Bassil Bacare, Yogendra Kanthi, David Jimenez, Manuel Monreal, Deborah M Siegal, Geoffrey D Barnes, John W Eikelboom, Michelle L O'Donoghue, Christian T Ruff, Mattia Galli, Brittany N Weber, Samuel Z Goldhaber, Sacha Uljon, Saskia Middeldorp, Renato D Lopes, David A Garcia, Gregory Y H Lip, Jeffery I Weitz, Jean M Connors, Harlan M Krumholz, Jason S Knight, Giuseppe Lippi, Mitchell S V Elkind, Mary Cushman, Karen H Costenbader, Gregory Piazza, Behnood Bikdeli","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01269-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-026-01269-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are directed against phospholipids and phospholipid-binding proteins. Laboratory assays used to detect aPL include serological tests for aPL against β<sub>2</sub>-glycoprotein 1, cardiolipin and other molecules, as well as functional assays for lupus anticoagulant. The presence of aPL can lead to endothelial dysfunction or a hypercoagulable state through prothrombotic and antifibrinolytic mechanisms. These processes, often in conjunction with a 'second hit', such as trauma, surgery, or other causes of hypercoagulability or stasis, can lead to venous or arterial thrombosis. The thrombotic risk associated with aPL is best recognized in thrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome, characterized by a persistently positive test for lupus anticoagulant or seropositivity for aPL associated with venous, arterial or microvascular thrombosis. However, aPL seropositivity and its clinical effect on thrombotic events have been increasingly recognized in a broader group of individuals who do not meet traditional research criteria for thrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome. In this Review, we provide an overview of the evidence related to aPL seropositivity in individuals with or without previous thrombosis and the clinical relevance of aPL seropositivity in predicting the risk of thrombotic cardiovascular events. We discuss potential management strategies and identify key knowledge gaps that warrant further research.</p>","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":44.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147434110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ANGPTL3-lowering strategies to address residual cardiovascular risk","authors":"Farzahna Mohamed, Frederick J. Raal","doi":"10.1038/s41569-026-01273-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41569-026-01273-z","url":null,"abstract":"Angiopoietin-related protein 3 (ANGPTL3)-lowering therapies are an LDL receptor-independent strategy for patients who remain at high cardiovascular risk despite conventional treatment, including those with familial hypercholesterolaemia. By reducing both LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride-rich lipoprotein levels in plasma, ANGPTL3 inhibition addresses a broader atherogenic burden and might offer advantages over apolipoprotein C3 inhibition, with the potential to reshape the management of refractory dyslipidaemias.","PeriodicalId":18976,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Cardiology","volume":"23 5","pages":"296-298"},"PeriodicalIF":44.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147383544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}