New technique found to regenerate damaged heart cells

A new US research project has discovered a means of converting scar tissue that forms after a heart attack into regenerated heart muscle.

The Duke University scientists have used microRNA techniques to essentially create "master switches" for genes, allowing them to regulate genetic expression in a way that converts fibroblasts into muscle cells.

Trials using cell cultures and laboratory mice have both proved a success, with this method offering various practical benefits compared to stem cells, as well as possible applications among stroke and spinal cord injury patients.

Next, the team will aim to study whether microRNAs can be used to repair damaged hearts in larger animals and improve heart function, with human studies being the ultimate goal.

Dr Victor Dzau, the study's senior author and James B Duke professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center, said: "If everything comes to fruition, I think we will see this as a therapy in the next decade. Conceivably, we'll use it to regenerate hearts damaged by heart attacks, avoiding heart failure and saving lives."

The findings have been welcomed by the British Heart Foundation, which said they represent a "significant advance" in an important field of research.