Lack of chemokine signaling through CXCR5 causes mortality, ventricular dilatation and deranged matrix during pressure overload. Mus musculus

Inflammatory mechanisms have been suggested to play a role in the development of heart failure (HF), but a role for chemokines is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of the chemokine CXCL13 and its receptor CXCR5 in cardiac pathophysiology leading to HF Overall design: A microarray study was performed on seven mice harboring a systemic knockout of the CXCR5 (CXCR5-/-) and seven wildtype mice. Four of the knockouts and four of the wild type mice were subjected to aorta banding and three of each to sham operations.