Konstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou

Dr. Konstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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Journal Article
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PKPaschalis Karakasis
Paschalis Karakasis
KPKonstantinos Pamporis
Konstantinos Pamporis
PTPanagiotis Theofilis
Panagiotis Theofilis
NMNikias Milaras
Nikias Milaras
PVPanayotis K. Vlachakis
Panayotis K. Vlachakis
Nikolaos FragakisNikolaos Fragakis
Nikolaos Fragakis
Cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias, remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While structural, electrical, and metabolic remodeling have long been recognized as drivers of arrhythmogenesis, emerging evidence identifies inflammation—particularly inflammasome signaling—as a central orchestrator of this pathological triad. Among the various inflammasome complexes, the NLRP3 inflammasome has garnered particular attention due to its activation in cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and immune cells in diverse clinical contexts. NLRP3 activation precipitates a cascade of downstream events, including interleukin-1β and -18 maturation, oxidative stress amplification, calcium mishandling, and extracellular matrix remodeling, thereby fostering a proarrhythmic substrate. This review synthesizes mechanistic and translational data implicating inflammasome signaling in both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, with a focus on cellular specificity and electrophysiological sequelae. We explore upstream triggers, such as metabolic stress, gut dysbiosis, and epicardial adipose inflammation, and delineate the downstream impact on cardiac conduction and structural integrity. Emerging therapeutic strategies—including NLRP3 inhibitors, IL-1 antagonists, colchicine, and SGLT2 inhibitors—are critically appraised for their anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic potential. By bridging molecular insights with clinical application, this review underscores the inflammasome as a unifying mechanistic hub in arrhythmia pathogenesis and a promising target for precision-guided therapy.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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PKPaschalis Karakasis
Paschalis Karakasis
PSPanagiotis Stachteas
Panagiotis Stachteas
PIPanagiotis Iliakis
Panagiotis Iliakis
GSGeorgios Sidiropoulos
Georgios Sidiropoulos
KGKonstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
Konstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
Nikolaos FragakisNikolaos Fragakis
Nikolaos Fragakis
Obesity-associated inflammation underlies much of cardiometabolic pathology, reflecting the convergence of chronic, low-grade systemic immune activation with region-specific maladaptation of adipose depots. Among these, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT)—a visceral fat layer contiguous with the myocardium and sharing its microvasculature—functions as a cardio-proximal immunometabolic interface that influences atrial fibrillation, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and coronary atherogenesis through paracrine crosstalk. These relationships extend beyond crude measures of adiposity, emphasizing the primacy of local inflammatory signaling, adipokine flux, and fibro-inflammatory remodeling at the EAT–myocardium interface. Of importance, substantial weight reduction only partially reverses obesity-imprinted transcriptional and epigenetic programs across subcutaneous, visceral, and epicardial depots, supporting the concept of an enduring adipose memory that sustains cardiovascular (CV) risk despite metabolic improvement. Accordingly, therapeutic strategies should move beyond weight-centric management toward mechanism-guided interventions. Resolution pharmacology—leveraging specialized pro-resolving mediators and their cognate G-protein-coupled receptors—offers a biologically plausible means to terminate inflammation and reprogram immune–stromal interactions within adipose and CV tissues. Although preclinical studies report favorable effects on vascular remodeling, myocardial injury, and arrhythmic vulnerability, clinical translation is constrained by pharmacokinetic liabilities of native mediators and by incomplete validation of biomarkers for target engagement. This review integrates mechanistic, depot-resolved, and therapeutic evidence to inform the design of next-generation anti-inflammatory strategies for obesity-related CV disease.

7 August 2025 in Pharmaceutics
Verified
Journal Article
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PKPaschalis Karakasis
Paschalis Karakasis
PTPanagiotis Theofilis
Panagiotis Theofilis
PVPanayotis K. Vlachakis
Panayotis K. Vlachakis
KGKonstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
Konstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
DPDimitrios Patoulias
Dimitrios Patoulias
Nikolaos FragakisNikolaos Fragakis
Nikolaos Fragakis
Atherosclerosis is a progressive, multifactorial disease driven by the interplay of lipid dysregulation, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and maladaptive vascular remodeling. Despite advances in systemic lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory therapies, residual cardiovascular risk persists, highlighting the need for more precise interventions. Targeted drug delivery represents a transformative strategy, offering the potential to modulate key pathogenic processes within atherosclerotic plaques while minimizing systemic exposure and off-target effects. Recent innovations span a diverse array of platforms, including nanoparticles, liposomes, exosomes, polymeric carriers, and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), engineered to engage distinct pathological features such as inflamed endothelium, dysfunctional macrophages, oxidative microenvironments, and aberrant lipid metabolism. Ligand-based, biomimetic, and stimuli-responsive delivery systems further enhance spatial and temporal precision. In parallel, advances in in-silico modeling and imaging-guided approaches are accelerating the rational design of multifunctional nanotherapeutics with theranostic capabilities. Beyond targeting lipids and inflammation, emerging strategies seek to modulate immune checkpoints, restore endothelial homeostasis, and reprogram plaque-resident macrophages. This review provides an integrated overview of the mechanistic underpinnings of atherogenesis and highlights state-of-the-art targeted delivery systems under preclinical and clinical investigation. By synthesizing recent advances, we aim to elucidate how precision-guided drug delivery is reshaping the therapeutic landscape of atherosclerosis and to chart future directions toward clinical translation and personalized vascular medicine.

28 October 2025 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
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KPKonstantinos Pamporis
Konstantinos Pamporis
PKPaschalis Karakasis
Paschalis Karakasis
APAntonia Pantelidaki
Antonia Pantelidaki
PGPanagiotis Antonios Goutis
Panagiotis Antonios Goutis
KGKonstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
Konstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
IMIordanis Mourouzis
Iordanis Mourouzis
In the context of multi-organ involvement in sepsis, cardiac toxicity is manifested as sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM). To date, no unified SICM definition exists, though a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 50% and/or an absolute drop ≥ 10% from baseline are the most widely accepted components. Several molecular pathways have been associated with SICM, including (i) pro-inflammatory mediator-induced cardiac depression; (ii) sarcolemmal membrane dysfunction; (iii) autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalance; (iv) blunted cardiovascular response to catecholamines; (v) dysfunctional intracellular calcium handling; (vi) mitochondrial dysfunction; (vii) metabolic reprogramming; and (viii) disturbed endothelial and microcirculatory function. Atrial and ventricular arrhythmias—particularly atrial fibrillation—commonly complicate disease management and are associated with adverse outcomes. Key mechanisms outlining sepsis-induced arrhythmogenesis are (i) inflammation; (ii) electrolyte imbalances; (iii) myocardial ischemia; (iv) QT prolongation/dispersion; (v) adrenergic overactivation; (vi) calcium mishandling; and (vii) fever-induced arrhythmogenesis in Brugada. Established therapeutic approaches include prompt treatment with antibiotics, hemodynamic optimization, and/or selective use of beta-blockers. Furthermore, several molecules are currently being investigated targeting numerous pathways activated in sepsis. Vitamin C, ginsenoside Rc, Schistosoma Japonicum cystatin, and gasmerdin-D inhibitor Y2 exert anti-inflammatory actions, while melatonin and α-ketoglutarate regulate mitochondrial homeostasis. Triiodothyronine targets microcirculatory optimization and regulates protective pathways against stress-related cell death. Engineered exosomes may facilitate targeted drug delivery, inflammatory response modulation, and activation of pathways related to cell survival, while sodium octanoate exhibits anti-inflammatory actions coupled with improved energy metabolism. Finally, gene-regulating therapies aiming at inflammatory response optimization have also been proposed and are currently under development. Future research should aim to standardize the SICM definition, translate emerging therapeutics into clinical practice, identify novel molecular targets, and implement personalized treatment strategies for SICM.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
KGKonstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
Konstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
PKPaschalis Karakasis
Paschalis Karakasis
KPKonstantinos Pamporis
Konstantinos Pamporis
PTPanagiotis Theofilis
Panagiotis Theofilis
DPDimitrios Patoulias
Dimitrios Patoulias
Nikolaos FragakisNikolaos Fragakis
Nikolaos Fragakis
Diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently coexist, creating a complex bidirectional relationship that exacerbates cardiovascular risk and challenges clinical management. Diabetes fosters a profibrotic, pro-inflammatory, and proarrhythmic atrial substrate through a constellation of pathophysiologic mechanisms, including metabolic remodeling, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, ion channel dysregulation, and autonomic imbalance, thereby promoting AF initiation and progression. Conventional rhythm control strategies remain less effective in diabetic individuals, underscoring the need for innovative, substrate-targeted interventions. In this context, sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have emerged as promising agents with pleiotropic antiarrhythmic properties, modulating fibrosis, inflammation, and mitochondrial integrity. Moreover, advances in anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, and ion channel-modulating therapeutics, coupled with novel mitochondrial-targeted strategies, are reshaping the therapeutic landscape. Multi-omics approaches are further refining our understanding of diabetes-associated AF, facilitating precision medicine and biomarker-guided interventions. This review delineates the molecular nexus linking diabetes and AF, critically appraises emerging rhythm control strategies, and outlines translational avenues poised to advance individualized management in this high-risk population.

23 October 2025 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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KGKonstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
Konstantinos Paraskevas Grigoriou
PKPaschalis Karakasis
Paschalis Karakasis
ANAthina Nasoufidou
Athina Nasoufidou
PSPanagiotis Stachteas
Panagiotis Stachteas
AKAleksandra Klisic
Aleksandra Klisic
Nikolaos FragakisNikolaos Fragakis
Nikolaos Fragakis
Cardiovascular (CV) disease, chronic kidney disease, obesity, and diabetes mellitus have reached epidemic proportions over the past few decades. Accumulating evidence highlights the strong interconnection between these conditions, leading to the definition of a broader disease entity known as cardio-renal-metabolic (CRM) syndrome. This newly recognized clinical entity presents important challenges in identifying the optimal treatment strategy within a holistic, patient-centered framework. In line with this, sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), owing to their multifaceted pharmacological effects, have been suggested as possible treatment options in the management of CRM. SGLT2is exert their antihyperglycemic effects by impeding the renal reabsorption of sodium and glucose, causing glycosuria and natriuresis. Research has confirmed that their unique beneficial effects extend beyond glycemic control, reducing CV death and hospitalizations in patients with heart failure, and the incidence of kidney failure in dedicated kidney outcome studies—regardless of diabetes status. Furthermore, these agents contribute to weight loss and blood pressure reduction. Their benefits appear to stem from a combination of factors, which include reduced oxidative stress, lower levels of inflammation, regulated neurohormonal activation, improved endothelial function, and enhanced metabolic efficiency. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of SGLT2is in CRM syndrome, synthesize evidence from landmark clinical trials, evaluate current experimental and diagnostic approaches, and provide the emerging role of SGLT2is in the treatment of this new clinical entity.