Inhibition of proto-oncogene c-Src tyrosine kinase: toward a new antiarrhythmic strategy?

Cellular-Src (c-Src) encodes a plasma membrane-associated tyrosine protein kinase, which plays a vital role in signaling pathways related to cellular development and carcinogenesis (1,2). It was the first proto-oncogene to be described and is the cellular homologue in humans of the viral oncogene of Rous sarcoma virus, the chicken tumor virus discovered by Peyton Rous in 1911 (3). More recently, c-Src has been implicated in connexin43 (Cx43) remodeling in epicardial border zone myocytes following myocardial infarction (MI) (4).