Protein technology could dramatically improve prospects of heart attack victims by proliferating organ cells
Public research university, King’s College London, is utilising messenger RNA (mRNA) technology to combat the physiological effects of heart attacks, in an effort to develop the world’s first cure for heart attack victims. The technology has the potential for a near reversal of heart damage.
mRNAs are genetic codes which produce proteins that contain genetic information. The mRNA technology being used by King’s College university produces proteins stimulating the creation of healthy new heart cells and can be delivered directly to the heart muscle following an attack.
The proteins which are created through the technology can assist the heart muscle in the regeneration of cells. This ground-breaking response has not yet been incorporated in any cardiac medications or post-episode treatments.
Mauro Giacca, Professor of cardiovascular sciences at the School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King’s College, explained: “We are all born with a set number of muscle cells in our heart and they are exactly the same ones we will die with. Our goal has been to find a treatment that can convince surviving cells to proliferate.”
“We are using exactly the same technology as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to inject micro RNAs to the heart, reaching surviving heart cells and pushing their proliferation,” he added.
If the technology advances to regulatory approval with indications for heart attack patients, the standard of cardiac care could be drastically improved, and the lives of millions worldwide could be extended.
The research has also identified proteins that could be injected into heart attack patients in the back of an ambulance to prevent heart cells dying.
