The adult human heart is capable of self-repair using a new gene therapy method. Scientists have discovered a fundamentally new way to treat heart attacks. Specialists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York activated a gene responsible for the regeneration of heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) in newborns. The study report was published in the journal npj Regenerative Medicine. The work focuses on the cyclin A2 gene (CCNA2), which is active during intrauterine development and turns off shortly after birth. In the fetus, CCNA2 plays an important role in the division and growth of heart cells. However, in adults, these processes are very limited. In 2014, one of the main authors, Hina Chaudhry, participated in another project. CCNA2 was activated in a pig that had suffered a heart attack. The gene successfully stimulated heart cell division, and the organ’s functionality improved as a result. Experiments on mice showed similar results. In the current work, scientists moved on to experiments on cells from adult humans aged 41 and 55 in vitro (in a test tube). They created a harmless virus that converts genetic information into protein (gene expression) and delivered it to the cells. Then they visualized the cells and recorded their division and structure. Finally, they decoded the genetic information (sequenced the gene) of mouse and human heart samples and analyzed the changes in gene expression. CCNA2 initiated heart cell regeneration. It resumed regenerative genetic programs similar to those in utero. The scientists noted that the resulting daughter cells retained the structure and function of heart muscle and continued to effectively manage calcium metabolism. Further research is needed for clinical trials in humans, but the work already opens up possibilities for future therapies that do not just eliminate symptoms but restore cardiomyocytes. Potential areas of application include regenerative gene therapy to repair damage after heart attacks, replacement of existing cell therapy, and even heart transplantation. Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide. According to WHO estimates, nearly 20 million people die from them annually. Four out of five deaths are due to heart attack or stroke, and these deaths are often premature. According to 2022 data, 50,000 people died from heart attacks in Russia, and there is an overall downward trend in their numbers. Currently, the prevention and treatment of heart attacks involve stent placement, medication, diet, and giving up bad habits.
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