Converging evidence highlights the important role that peroxisome proliferation-activated receptors (PPARs) play in cardiovascular disorders. Importantly, a series of recent animal studies demonstrated the potential use of PPAR gamma agonists in cardiac surgery, where they had protective functions against ischemia/reperfusion injury and reduced the risk of graft rejection. The PPARs are also important in regulating inflammation, endothelial function, angiogenesis, and hypertension. Broadening the clinical use of PPAR agonists would contribute significantly to the improvement of patient care in many cardiovascular conditions. We would like to summarize the recent progress in a special issue in this journal dedicated to the role of PPARs in cardiovascular disorders.

We invite investigators to submit original research and review articles that will contribute to the understanding of the role of PPARs in cardiovascular disorders and provide new data on the use of PPAR agonists for treatment of cardiovascular conditions.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• PPARs in pathogenesis and treatment of atherosclerosis
• PPARs agonists: potential treatments for atherogenic dyslipidemia
• Clinical and preclinical use of natural and synthetic PPAR agonists
• PPARs signaling in the cardiovascular system
• Role of PPAR during cardiovascular surgical interventions
• Implication of PPARs in inflammatory processes
• Improvement of allograft survival