Recent studies are shedding light on the new possibility of regenerating heart muscle, potentially paving the way for revolutionary therapies in heart failure treatment. Researchers from the Bakkers group at the Hubrecht Institute and a team led by Dr. Hesham Sadek at the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center have made groundbreaking discoveries that could one-day offer solutions for millions of heart failure patients worldwide.
In one study, researchers at the Hubrecht Institute have made significant strides in repairing damaged mouse hearts using a protein from zebrafish, known for their remarkable regenerative capabilities. Zebrafish can fully restore their heart function within 60 days after damage, a capacity humans lack. The key protein, HMGA1, was identified as a critical factor in this process. In zebrafish, HMGA1 activates dormant repair genes, a function that does not occur in mice or humans.
The researchers discovered that in mice, the same protein could be used to reactivate these dormant genes without causing harmful side effects such as heart enlargement. “We don’t understand why some species can regenerate their hearts while others cannot,” explained Dr. Jeroen Bakkers, who led the study. “By studying zebrafish and comparing them to other species, we can uncover the mechanisms of heart regeneration, which could lead to therapies for heart failure in humans.”
Meanwhile, a team led by Dr. Sadek in Tucson made a surprising discovery: some patients with artificial hearts can regenerate their heart muscle. This research provides the strongest evidence yet that human heart muscle cells can regrow, a finding that could reshape heart failure treatment. Unlike the human heart, which typically loses its ability to regenerate shortly after birth, patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) showed an ability to regrow muscle cells at a much higher rate.
Sadek’s team found that the mechanical heart allows the damaged heart to “rest,” akin to the way skeletal muscle regenerates after an injury like a soccer tear. “We have nothing to reverse heart muscle loss,” Sadek explained, but the LVAD essentially gives the heart a break, helping the muscle recover.
While only 25% of patients respond to artificial hearts in this way, the potential to harness this regenerative ability in all patients could provide a cure for heart failure. Future research will explore why some patients’ hearts regenerate and others do not, with the hope of unlocking the ability for all patients to benefit from this groundbreaking discovery.
Both studies highlight the potential for heart regeneration to become a reality. With further testing and refinement, these findings could lead to therapies that prevent heart failure, offering new hope for millions of patients.
The research at the Hubrecht Institute was supported by the Dutch Heart Foundation and Hartekind Foundation, while Dr. Sadek’s work was funded through the Leducq Foundation’s Transatlantic Networks of Excellence Program. As these two pioneering teams continue their work, the goal of curing heart failure is becoming more achievable than ever before.
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