Unveiling the role of c-Met: A promising target for cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, need the exploration of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase（RTK）, activated by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), plays multifaceted roles in cellular proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and tissue repair. While extensively studied in oncology, emerging evidence highlights its dual regulatory functions in CVDs pathogenesis. This review synthesizes current knowledge on c-Met signaling in cardiovascular health and disease, emphasizing its context-dependent roles. In atherosclerosis, c-Met exhibits paradoxical effects-promoting vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and inflammation while exerting anti-apoptotic and anti-fibrotic actions. Preclinical studies reveal its cardioprotective potential in myocardial infarction by enhancing cardiomyocyte survival, angiogenesis, and cardiac repair, yet aberrant c-Met activation may exacerbate pulmonary arterial hypertension via smooth muscle hyperplasia. Furthermore, c-Met influences inflammatory cell dynamics in myocarditis and modulates heart failure progression through interactions with neurohormonal pathways. Therapeutic strategies targeting c-Met, including CAR-M cell therapy, small-molecule inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies, show promise in preclinical models but require rigorous clinical validation. Key challenges include reconciling its dual roles across disease stages and optimizing therapeutic specificity. Future research must elucidate spatiotemporal c-Met signaling mechanisms to harness its reparative potential while mitigating pathological effects, ultimately advancing precision therapies for CVDs.