NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) plasmid system that can sense ischemia and provide cardioprotection has shown promise in mice, researchers report in the April issue of Hypertension.
As senior investigator Dr. M. Ian Phillips told Reuters Health, this “vigilant vector system is designed to switch on cardioprotective genes when oxygen is low and prevent heart cell damage.”
Dr. Phillips of the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, and colleagues note that although HO-1 can provide cellular protection to the ischemic heart, overexpression may have unwanted side effects.
To obviate this problem, the researchers developed a plasmid approach that can sense ischemia and switch on the human HO-1 gene system specifically in the heart.
The researchers intramyocardially injected this vigilant human HO-1 plasmid system, or saline, into mice with experimental myocardial ischemia. The animals given the plasmid system showed reduced interstitial fibrosis and improved recovery of contractile and diastolic performance.
The investigators envisage using such a gene therapy approach in patients who have sustained a first heart attack.
“This new concept of preventing heart cell damage,” Dr. Phillips concluded, “may eventually be an alternative to expensive bypass surgery and stents.”
In an accompanying editorial, Dr. David E. Stec of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, agrees, pointing out that “ultimately this area of research will pave the way for development of ‘smart’ therapies for the heart that will allow for early and rapid treatment of a wide variety of cardiac ailments.”
Source: Hypertension 2004;43:720-721,746-751. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Animal Diseases: Biological Therapy: Disease Models, Animal: Drug Therapy: Genetic Engineering: Genetic Techniques: Investigative Techniques: Therapeutics: Gene Therapy: Drug Delivery Systems: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: DiseasesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
