Cardiac aging is a key driver of cardiovascular disease, yet the role of the vascular niche remains unclear. In this study, researchers from the DZHK partner sites Rhine-Main, Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, and Munich identify the transcription factor ZBTB16 as an important regulator of endothelial function during aging. They show that ZBTB16 expression declines in aged hearts. Loss of ZBTB16 leads to premature cardiac aging, diastolic dysfunction, and inflammatory and fibrotic changes. Conversely, restoring ZBTB16 expression attenuates these effects and improves cardiac function. These findings identify ZBTB16 as a protective factor of endothelial integrity and point to new therapeutic strategies to counteract age-related cardiac dysfunction.
Link to publication:
Stilz KA, Leonard VE, Rodriguez Morales D, et al. Endothelial ZBTB16: a molecular shield against cardiac aging. Eur Heart J. 2026;47(10):1186-1198. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf1063
Link to press release: A well-known protein with new significance for the ageing heart
