Autoimmune giant cell myocarditis: clinical characteristics, experimental models and future treatments

Abstract

Introduction: Although prognosis in acute myocarditis is generally moderate, giant cell myocarditis shows poor prognosis. Giant cell myocarditis is considered to be an autoimmune disease, however, its pathophysiology and specific treatment is yet to be elucidated.

Areas covered: This article reviews the clinical characteristics of autoimmune myocarditis and its possible future treatments. An animal model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) is characterized by severe myocardial damage and multinucleated giant cell infiltration, and this has been used as a disease model for human acute giant cell myocarditis. Using experimental models, we reported that NF-κB, cytokines, adhesion molecules and other factors play a critical role in the development of autoimmune myocarditis.

Expert opinion: Giant cell myocarditis, an autoimmune form of myocarditis, has a high mortality rate unless mechanical support or cardiac transplantation is performed. Therefore, further therapeutic applications of novel methodologies are needed to expand the number of alternative choices for treating autoimmune myocarditis.