These studies demonstrate the presence of desmin in protein aggregates in mice subjected to pressure overload (16) or dogs modeled for rapid pacing-induced cardiomyopathy (58); and furthermore, these authors observe that desmin cleavage and phosphorylation are associated with formation of cardiac aggregates and preamyloid oligomers in the observed cardiomyopathy. The gene discussed is DES; the disease is cardiomyopathy.