The cardiology journal “Nature Reviews Cardiology” is dedicating its current special issue to metabolic changes in heart failure and is publishing four articles from the EU-funded COST Action EU-METAHEART network as well as an editorial by Prof. Dr. Christoph Maack, Chairman of the consortium and spokesperson for the German Center for Heart Failure (DZHI) in Würzburg. Heart failure affects 10 to 20 percent of over 70-year-olds in Europe and is regarded as a systemic disease characterized by interactions between the heart, metabolism and other organs.

The EU-METAHEART network, launched in October 2023, is researching metabolic changes in heart failure that take place in the mitochondria – the cellular power plants. The special issue presents the four main areas of research: Cell metabolism in the heart muscle, metabolic changes in blood vessels, immune metabolism and mechano-energetics. The latter, Maack’s focus, investigates the imbalance between energy supply and demand, which triggers oxidative stress in heart failure and damages the heart. While drugs such as ACE inhibitors or beta blockers are effective in cases of impaired pumping function (HFrEF), therapy in cases of preserved pumping function (HFpEF) remains a challenge. However, new approaches, such as SGLT-2 inhibitors or GLP-1 receptor agonists, show promising effects through improved energy utilization.

The “Vascular Dysfunction” working group analyzes circulatory disorders caused by constricted coronary arteries in HFrEF and impaired small vessels in HFpEF. Other groups are investigating how metabolic products affect the heart muscle cells and how inflammatory processes influence the heart through immunometabolism. EU-METAHEART, with researchers from 43 countries, promotes exchange through short-term research stays (STSM) and events such as the Training School and conference in Würzburg in September 2024. These activities strengthen young scientists and structurally weaker countries in order to secure the future of European research.

Funded with over 200,000 euros annually, EU-METAHEART creates a platform for innovative approaches in heart failure research. Würzburg’s expertise, in particular through the combination of different techniques and models, makes the city a central hub of this network.

Original publication:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-025-01181-8
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-025-01167-6
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-025-01165-8
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-025-01163-w
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-025-01166-7

Further information:
https://cost-metaheart.eu/

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