Researchers have discovered a new way to stimulate cardiomyocyte proliferation, offering promising results in both human cardiac slices and live animals. This innovative approach targets calcium signaling pathways, potentially transforming the treatment landscape for patients suffering from heart failure.
Researchers found that injecting infarcted pig hearts with specially bioengineered cells significantly decreased the infarct area and improved heart function. The therapy worked by stimulating the proliferation of endogenous pig cardiomyocytes, which had previously been unable to divide in adult hearts.
A zebrafish protein, Hmga1, has been found to unlock dormant genes for heart repair in mice. The discovery could lead to regenerative therapies to prevent heart failure in humans.
A growth factor called BMP7 has been found to promote cardiomyocyte proliferation and regeneration in both zebrafish and adult mice. This discovery offers a promising new approach to treating heart disease by stimulating cardiac muscle cell regrowth even in later stages of life.
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have developed a modified messenger RNA that can temporarily induce cardiomyocyte cell division, leading to reduced infarct size and improved heart function. The treatment has shown promise in mouse and pig models without increasing the risk of deadly arrhythmias.