ROCK2: A novel, potential therapeutic target in diabetic cardiomyocytes?

Recently, we have read with great interest the published paper by Soliman et al. [ [1] Soliman H. Nyamandi V. Garcia-Patino M. et al. ROCK2 promotes ryanodine receptor phosphorylation and arrhythmic calcium release in diabetic cardiomyocytes. Int. J. Cardiol. 2019; 281: 90-98 Google Scholar ] and subsequent correspondence by Tong et al. [ [2] Tong S. Zhang L. Joseph J. et al. A novel, potential therapeutic target in diabetic cardiomyocytes: ROCK2. Int. J. Cardiol. 2019; 288: 121 Google Scholar ]. In Dr. Soliman et al.’s study, they found that ROCK2 contributed to diabetes-induced impaired cardiac Ca2+ homeostasis, inhibition of ROCK2 improved impaired contractile function and prevented arrhythmia from diabetic rat hearts. It indicated that inhibition of ROCK2 may be a beneficially therapeutic target for protecting heart from diabetic cardiomyopathy.