HOME >> BIOLOGY >> NEWS
Jefferson scientists use gene therapy to reverse heart failure in animals

(PHILADELPHIA) Heart researchers at the Center for Translational Medicine at Jefferson Medical College have used gene therapy to reverse heart failure in animals. In addition, they found that this gene therapy strategy had "unique and additive effects" to currently used, standard heart failure drugs called beta-blockers.

Reporting in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, researchers led by Walter J. Koch, Ph.D., director of the Center for Translational Medicine and the George Zallie and Family Laboratory for Cardiovascular Gene Therapy in the Department of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, used a virus to carry the gene for a protein, S100A1, into the heart cells of rats with heart failure. The virus expressed the S100A1 gene only in heart cells and not in other organs, essentially making it a tailored therapy. After 18 weeks, those animals that received the gene therapy had significantly improved heart function compared to animals that did not receive the treatment.

Specifically, the Koch team, including Patrick Most, M.D., and Joseph Rabinowitz, Ph.D., also in Jefferson's Center for Translational Medicine, experimentally produced heart failure in the animals, which is characterized by a dramatic reduction in the heart's pumping ability. The scientists then delivered a modified adeno-associated virus (AAV) that contained the S100A1 gene to the heart's coronary arteries with the help of a novel heart-specific "gene promoter" that enabled the gene to be present only in heart cells.

The rats with heart failure were then followed for another two months, when their heart pumping function was monitored again. The animals that received the gene therapy had significantly better heart-pumping abilities compared to the pre-gene therapy level, and overall, the S100A1-treated rats had improved heart health. The researchers found this in both individual heart cells and in the whole
'"/>

Contact: Steve Benowitz
steven.benowitz@jefferson.edu
215-955-5291
Thomas Jefferson University
23-May-2007


Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Jefferson scientists patent dramatically improves
2. Marker predicts pancreatic cancer outcome after surgery, Jefferson surgeon finds
3. Tiny genes may increase cancer susceptibility, Jefferson scientists find
4. Jefferson researchers discovery may change thinking on how viruses invade the brain
5. Jefferson scientists identify protein key to breast cancer spread, potential new drug target
6. Jefferson scientists find rabies-based vaccine could be effective against HIV
7. Jefferson scientists uncover gene mutation that cuts colon polyps, may suppress cancer
8. Targeting the adrenal gland could be key strategy against heart failure, Jefferson scientists show
9. Jefferson scientists find guardian genes choices crucial to stopping cancer process
10. Jefferson researchers uncover new way nature turns genes on and off
11. Jefferson researchers develop combined procedure for uterine preservation in treating fibroids

Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:


(Date:12/14/2018)... , ... December 14, 2018 , ... ... number 9,703,929 entitled “Method and System for Microbiome-Derived Diagnostics and Therapeutics” by the ... of October 21, 2014. The patent is an invention by uBiome collaborators Dr. ...
(Date:12/13/2018)... Switzerland (PRWEB) , ... December 13, 2018 , ... Study ... - First Visit (with Ethical e-CRF®): IGA first assessment performed at the site., 3 ... 4 - Central Staff Controls Photo anonymization in BOX., 5 - Photos moved to ...
(Date:12/13/2018)... (PRWEB) , ... December 12, 2018 , ... ... Dr. Vinod Shah, one of the firm’s prominent Expert Consultants, was recently honored ... The award recognizes leaders who are working in pharmaceutical science, technology, engineering, or ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):
(Date:11/13/2018)... SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) , ... November 12, 2018 ... ... medical device to reduce stethoscope contamination that two large U.S. studies, published last ... appearing in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) conclude that stethoscopes are ...
(Date:11/13/2018)... ... , ... Aditya Humad, Managing Partner of KICVentures , ... is still trending upward with growing valuations based on a largely under-served and ... pressure and increased competition as reasons often cited by institutional investors to forgo ...
(Date:11/13/2018)... Ore. (PRWEB) , ... November 13, 2018 , ... ... at Bio-Logic Aqua® Research Water Life Science® in Grants Pass, Oregon believes in ... Kleyne and Bio-Logic Aqua® Research Water Life Science® sponsors the Power of Water® ...
(Date:11/9/2018)... ... November 08, 2018 , ... ... PhD, co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of Andes Biotechnologies, to its Scientific ... world, Dr. Valenzuela brings to uBiome expertise on the genetic studies of hepatitis ...
Breaking Biology Technology:
Cached News: