SMAD1 and myocardial infarction: In a transgenic mice model with cardiac-specific overexpression of smad1, Masaki M found that transgenic mice had significantly smaller myocardial infarctions and fewer apoptotic deaths of cardiomyocytes after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, suggesting a role of SMAD1 in cardioprotection against I/R injury [54].