Calcium Signaling and Cardiac Adaptation to Stress: Focus on Pregnancy and Diabetes
Open Access
- 7 October 2025
- journal article
- review article
- Published by MDPI AG in Biomolecules
- Vol. 15 (10) , 1421
Abstract
Calcium (Ca2+) signaling regulates a wide range of processes in the heart, from contractility and excitability to energy supply and cell growth. Consequently, Ca2+ signaling plays a critical role in cardiac adaptation to both physiological and pathophysiological stress. This review examines the role of Ca2+ signaling in the heart’s physiological adaptation to pregnancy and its pathological maladaptation in diabetes. We focus on Ca2+-dependent mechanisms involved in hypertrophy, energy imbalance, and electrical remodeling in these two conditions, highlighting shared signaling pathways, functional outcomes, and key knowledge gaps. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms could reveal novel therapeutic targets to improve cardiac health in pregnancy and diabetes.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Institutes of Health (HL148443, HL135000)
- American Heart Association (19TPA34850094)
- Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, and Diabetes and Obesity Research Priority Area, University of Kentucky
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