Icariin-mediated structural stabilization of TNF-α triggers a pro-regenerative signaling switch for endothelial recovery after myocardial infarction
Jianxun Liu
BackgroundCoronary microvascular recovery is essential for cardiac repair post-myocardial infarction (MI), but the endogenous signals driving endothelial cell (EC) cycle reentry remain elusive. While tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is typically considered a pro-inflammatory mediator, its biological effects are profoundly influenced by protein conformation. In this study, we identify a novel pro-regenerative signaling switch where structural stabilization of TNF-α, rather than its inhibition,