CXCL12 and cardiomyopathy: For example, Theiss et al. have confirmed in humans that mRNA of SDF-1 and HIF-1α, as well as stem cell factor and vascular cell adhesion molecule, are significantly higher in explanted heart tissue of patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy versus dilated cardiomyopathy (Theiss et al., 2007).