DeLeon-Pennell Lab

The DeLeon-Pennell Lab focuses on all aspects of the inflammatory and fibrotic components of cardiac remodeling following a heart attack (myocardial infarction; MI). This includes evaluating how existing variables such as gender or aging changes these processes. Our major research focus is on the role of the adaptive immune system and the interplay with the innate immune system to regulate cardiac wound healing. These changes include cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, which both affect and react to processes involved in tissue repair.

Overall our goal is to:

1. Develop multidimensional approaches to examine the mechanisms whereby the innate and adaptive immune system influences cardiovascular remodeling
2. Understand the dynamics and function of bio-molecules involved in cardiac remodeling
3. Improve current therapeutic strategies to prevent, slow, or reverse the progression to heart failure

Recently our lab has identified new mechanisms implicating CD8+ T-cells as regulators of the post-MI wound healing process. Our data indicated without functional CD8+ T-cells there was a decrease in left ventricular dilation and improved mortality post MI. In addition CD8+ T-cells were found to facilitate removal of necrotic tissue and the development of the fibrotic scar. The DeLeon-Pennell laboratory has been supported by grants from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the American Heart Association, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Publications

PubMed Collection