A method for providing genetic product to the body is being investigated as a method of repairing damaged heart muscle after a heart attack. This initial study was performed to identify whether mRNA might be effectively provided to the heart muscle in lipid nanoparticles. The scientists injected different solutions into the left ventricular wall of mouse hearts during open chest surgical treatment under general anesthesia. Twenty-four hours after administration, the mice were compromised and the place of mRNA translation was analyzed.
This preliminary study was carried out to identify whether mRNA might be effectively provided to the heart muscle in lipid nanoparticles. The scientists injected various formulations into the left ventricular wall of mouse hearts during open chest surgical treatment under basic anesthesia. Twenty-four hours after administration, the mice were sacrificed and the area of mRNA translation was taken a look at.
The scientists found that mRNA successfully reached the heart cells 24 hours after injection. Nevertheless, in spite of injection into the heart, the greatest levels of mRNA translation were found in cells of the liver and spleen.
Research study author Dr. Clara Labonia of the University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands said: “High expression was anticipated in the liver, given that it metabolizes the lipid nanoparticles. It was encouraging to see that there was mRNA translation in the heart tissue which implies that lipid nanoparticles could work as delivery systems for mRNA treatment.”
She concluded: “The next action of this research is to check more formulations and pick the one which most efficiently targets the heart tissue. We will then assess whether shipment of mRNA to mice with ischaemic hearts (resembling a cardiac arrest) has any healing impact.”
References and notes
The abstract “Modified mRNA delivery to the heart using lipid nanoparticles” will be provided during the session “Young Investigator Award– Novelties in heart disease mechanism” which takes place on 30 April at 11:30 CEST in Lecture Room 3.
The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines consist of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Funding: Funding was offered by the Dutch Heart Foundation (Dr. E. Dekker Senior Scientist grant, no. 2019T049).
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines use lipid nanoparticles to provide mRNA to the bodys cells. A similar method for providing hereditary material to the body is being tested as a way to recover broken heart muscle after a heart attack.
A technique for delivering genetic product to the body is being examined as a way of repairing damaged heart muscle after a heart attack. The groundbreaking research study will be provided today (April 30, 2022) at Frontiers in CardioVascular Biomedicine 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). [1]
The COVID-19 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines [2] use lipid nanoparticles (small fat droplets) to provide mRNA to the bodys cells. This mRNA tells cells to produce a dummy spike protein on their surface in order to mimic the protein on the virus that triggers COVID-19. After that, the body develops an immune response by producing antibodies that may be employed if the private ends up being contaminated with the infection.
The present research study employed a similar technique for mRNA delivery. Rather than generating an immune response, the researchers ultimate goal is to instruct the hearts cells to repair themselves after a heart attack.