Researchers at the Hubrecht Institute have made a significant discovery regarding heart regeneration by studying the protein Hmga1, found in zebrafish. This protein enables zebrafish to fully regenerate their heart muscle within 60 days after injury. The team identified that Hmga1 could reactivate dormant repair genes in mouse hearts, promoting recovery without adverse effects, such as heart enlargement. This breakthrough could pave the way for regenerative therapies to treat heart failure in humans, as traditional human hearts lack the ability to regenerate lost muscle cells after damage.
In their study, the scientists observed that Hmga1 facilitates gene activation by removing molecular barriers on chromatin, allowing dormant genes to become active again. When Hmga1 was applied locally to damaged mouse hearts, it stimulated the division and growth of heart muscle cells, enhancing heart function specifically in the injured areas. The research suggests that the gene for Hmga1 remains dormant in adult mammals but could be a target for future gene therapies in humans.
The study involved cross-species collaborations and was funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation and Hartekind Foundation. As the team looks to progress this research, they plan to test the protein’s effectiveness on human cardiac cells in collaboration with UMC Utrecht.
