Personalizing cardiac regenerative therapy: At the heart of Pim1 kinase

During cardiac aging, DNA damage and environmental stressors contribute to telorneric shortening and human cardiac progenitor cells acquire a senescent phenotype that leads to decreased stem cell function. Reversion of this phenotype through genetic modification is essential to advance regenerative therapy. Studies in the cardiac specific overexpression and subcellular targeting of Pimi kinase demonstrate its influence on regeneration, proliferation, survival, metabolism and senescence. The cardioprotective effects of Piml modification can be picked apart and enhanced by targeting the kinase to distinct subcellular compartments, allowing for selection of specific phenotypic traits after molecular modification. In this perspective, we examine the therapeutic implications of Piml to encourage the personalization of cardiac regenerative therapy. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.