AdenoSign investigates purinergic metabolism and signaling in the heart, with a particular focus on adenosine-mediated pathways. Our research explores how adenosine signaling - especially via the A2B receptor - regulates cardiac repair and remodeling following injury such as myocardial infarction, and how it shapes inflammatory and fibrotic processes that contribute to cardiomyopathies.

A major focus of our work lies on cardiac stromal cells/fibroblasts, which are key regulators of myocardial homeostasis and intercellular communication through the release of paracrine mediators. We aim to understand how these cells orchestrate adaptive and maladaptive responses during cardiac injury and remodeling.

Our current DFG-funded project, “Cardioprotective crosstalk of adenosine and S1P in cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes”, investigates the interaction between adenosine signaling and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) pathways in cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes, with the goal of identifying novel mechanisms of cardioprotection and therapeutic targets.

By integrating molecular signaling, stromal cell biology, and translational cardiovascular research, AdenoSign aims to contribute to the development of innovative therapeutic approaches to improve cardiac repair and limit adverse remodeling in conditions highly relevant to cardiovascular and cardiac surgical patients, including myocardial infarction, ischemia–reperfusion injury, and heart failure.

Team: 
Dr. rer. nat. Julia Hesse, scientific group leader

Yingkai Tang, M.Sc. med., PhD student
Larissa Holert, cand. med.
Nathalie Zahn, cand. med.