Interestingly, the DPP-4 inhibitor linagliptin has been shown to reduce infarct size after myocardial ischemia in rats by inhibiting SDF-1α degradation, thereby enhancing the recruitment of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), a specific receptor for SDF-1α-positive circulating progenitor cells [37]. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL12 and myocardial ischemia.