The induction of the cell cycle in cardiomyocytes involves the activation of specific genes that are responsible for regulating cell division and growth. Our laboratory has discovered several important genes in this process, including cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and tumor suppressor genes. Cyclins are proteins that help regulate the progression of the cell cycle by binding to CDKs and activating them. CDKs, in turn, phosphorylate other proteins that are involved in cell division. Tumor suppressor genes play a crucial role in preventing the uncontrolled proliferation of cells by regulating the cell cycle and promoting apoptosis. Understanding the expression and function of these genes is essential for unraveling the intricate mechanisms involved in cell cycle induction in cardiomyocytes.
The Center for Cardiac Engineering & Regenerative Therapeutics in the Department of Surgery has done extensive research to better understand the induction of the cell cycle in cardiomyocytes. We have used various experimental approaches, including genetic manipulation, cell culture, and animal models, to investigate the molecular pathways and signaling networks involved in this process. These studies have provided valuable insights into the regulation of cell division and growth in cardiomyocytes and have shed light on potential therapeutic targets for heart diseases. Additionally, advances in technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing and genome editing tools have further accelerated the pace of research in this field, facilitating the identification of novel genes and pathways associated with cell cycle induction in cardiomyocytes.
Selected Publications
Tamer M A Mohamed*, Yen-Sin Ang, Ethan Radzinsky, Ping Zhou, Yu Huang, Aryé Elfenbein, Amy Foley, Sergey Magnitsky, Deepak Srivastava. Regulation of Cell Cycle to Stimulate Adult Cardiomyocyte Proliferation and Cardiac Regeneration. Cell. 2018 Mar 22;173 (1):104–116
Riham Abouleisa, Lindsey McNally, Abou bakr Mohamed Salama, Sally K. Hammad, Qinghui Ou, Collin Wells, Pawel K. Lorkiewicz, Roberto Bolli, Tamer M.A. Mohamed* and Bradford G. Hill* Cell cycle induction in human cardiomyocytes is dependent on biosynthetic pathway activation. Redox Biol. 2021 Oct;46:102094.
Riham R E Abouleisa, Abou Bakr M Salama, Qinghui Ou, Xian-Liang Tang, Mitesh Solanki, Yiru Guo, Yibing Nong, Lindsey McNally, Pawel K Lorkiewicz, Kamal M Kassem, Brooke M Ahern, Krishna Choudhary, Reuben Thomas, Yu Huang, Hamzah R Juhardeen, Aisha Siddique, Zainab Ifthikar, Sally K Hammad, Ayman S El-Baz, Kathryn N Ivey, Daniel J Conklin, Jonathan Satin, Bradford G Hill, Deepak Srivastava, Roberto Bolli, Tamer M A Mohamed*. Transient Cell Cycle Induction in Cardiomyocytes to Treat Subacute Ischemic Heart Failure. Circulation, 2022 Apr 26;145(17):1339-1355
Riham Abouleisa, Jessica Miller, Ahmed Gebreil, Abou Bakr Salama, Marc Dwenger, Hania Abdelhafez, Reham Wahid, Adeniyi Adewumi, Mahmoud E. Soliman, Nader Abo-Dya, Tamer M A Mohamed. A Novel Small Molecule Inhibitor of p38⍺ MAP Kinase Augments Cardiomyocyte Cell Cycle Entry in Response to Direct Cell Cycle Stimulation. Br J Pharmacol. 2023 Aug 7.
Abouleisa RRE, Tang XL, Ou Q, Salama AM, Woolard A, Hammouri D, Abdelhafez H, Cayton S, Abdulwali SK, Arai M, Sithu ID, Conklin DJ, Bolli R, Mohamed TMA. Gene therapy encoding cell cycle factors to treat chronic ischemic heart failure in rats. Cardiovasc Res. 2024 Mar 13;120(2):152-163.
Devilée LAC, Salama ABM, Miller JM, Reid JD, Ou Q, Baraka NM, Abou Farraj K, Jamal M, Nong Y, Rosengart TK, Andres D, Satin J, Mohamed TMA, Hudson JE, Abouleisa RRE. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of LTCC promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation through inhibition of calcineurin activity. NPJ Regen Med. 2025 Jan 11;10(1):1.