Modulation of the AGAT/homoarginine pathway in cardio - vascular diseases

L-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT) is involved in creatine as well as homoarginine (hArg) synthesis. hArg is an amino acid identified as risk marker in cardiovascular (CV) and cerebrovascular diseases. Cardiac phenotyping of AGAT deficient, Mybpc3-targeted knock-in, and CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 deficient mice is part of the project for a better understanding of processes in CV diseases. The aim of the project is to investigate the potential relevance of the AGAT/hArg pathway as a new therapeutic approach in CV diseases, e.g. atrial fibrillation, stroke/transient ischemic attack, heart failure, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with AGAT modulators, identified by high throughput screening, and homoarginine supplementation in healthy and diseased patients.