Stem cells aided by protein help heart attack recovery
Scientists at Imperial College London have identified stem cells that can be injected into mice to help repair heart attack damage.
The research, which was partially funded by the European Research Council and the European Commission, was carried out by a team at Imperial College London. The scientists found that treating mice with a particular type of stem cell led to the repairing and recovery of a large area of damaged heart muscle following a 12-week period. Scientists found that heart failure was also prevented compared to mice that did not have the stem cell treatment.
In comments carried by Imperial College London, the head researcher of the investigation, British Heart Foundation Professor Michael Schneider, said the results centred on a specific protein. Based at the National Heart & Lung Institute at the university, Schneider commented: “We have found stem cells in the heart that have a specific protein – called PDGFR alpha – on their surface have the greatest potential to repair damaged hearts.
“When we injected stem cells with this protein into damaged hearts, we saw a significant level of heart repair. Now that we know which stem cells to use, we want to find their equivalent in human hearts for more efficient heart repair and regeneration after heart attacks.”
Schneider added that treatment in the future could also include “the healing proteins that these cells make”.
The research results are published in full in the journal Nature Communications.
