Cytokine therapies have emerged during the past decade as promising noninvasive treatments for heart disease. In general, current drug treatments are directed towards symptom control and prevention of disease progression; however, many agents also produce cause side effects that alter quality of life. Cytokine based therapies have the potential to reduce post-infarct heart failure and chronic ischemia by stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of endothelial cells and bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells and mobilizing these cells toward ischemic tissue. In turn, these mobilized cell populations contribute to myocardial regeneration. In contrast, over-expression of several cytokines has been linked to a variety of heart diseases; thus, therapies targeting and monitoring these cytokines are of great interest. Here we summarize results from clinical studies on cytokines as therapeutic agents or therapeutic targets in the treatment for heart disease as well as cytokines involved in the evolution of heart disease.

在过去的十年中，细胞因子疗法已成为有前途的无创治疗心脏病的方法。通常，当前的药物治疗是针对症状控制和疾病进展的预防。但是，许多药物也会产生副作用，从而改变生活质量。基于细胞因子的疗法有潜力通过刺激内皮细胞和骨髓造血干细胞的增殖和分化并使这些细胞向缺血组织动员，从而减少梗塞后心力衰竭和慢性缺血。反过来，这些动员的细胞群体有助于心肌再生。相比之下，几种细胞因子的过度表达与多种心脏病有关。因此，靶向和监测这些细胞因子的疗法引起了极大的兴趣。