Treatment of Damaged Heart Tissues by Nanochains Containing Protein | WPN World People News

The samples have been produced and studied at laboratorial scale, and they have shown appropriate performance on animal samples. This research tries to produce nanostructures that cure damaged heart tissues after a heart attack.

Iranian researchers from Tehran University of Medical Sciences in association with American researchers succeeded in the production of nanostructures whose main application is in the treatment of damaged heart tissues after a heart attack.

Results of the research showed that a protein called FSTL1 plays an important role in the growth and recovery of myocardial tissue. Myocardial tissue is the most important damaged tissue after a heart attack. Therefore, there should be FSTL1 protein in the heart to cure the tissue. However, the level of the protein intensively decreases after the attack. In addition, the protein is not able to grow or cure the damaged myocardial tissue in case it is produced in the myocardial tissue in a natural manner or through genetic manipulation.

In order to overcome this problem, nanochain-structured collagen scaffolds were produced in this research containing FSTL1 protein, which has physical and mechanical properties (elasticity and stiffness) similar to those of fetal myocardium. In other words, the scaffolds are able to cure the damaged myocardium by triggering cell migration or angiogenic methods.

The laboratorial samples were synthesized through plastic compression method, and they were tested on animal samples (rats and pigs). Results confirmed the appropriate recovery of heart after the damage.

Source: Nanotechnology Now