Scientists from The Ohio State University found have developed a novel drug molecule that targets T-cells causing inflammation in heart failure patients, stopping the further progression of the disease.
The research is published in Circulation: Heart Failure.
During heart failure, T-cells, which are part of the immune system, go from protecting the body from infection to causing heart failure to progress.
In a study of heart failure mice, researchers found these “bad” T-cells have increased levels of a protein called estrogen receptor alpha.
They identified and tested a new drug molecule that activates estrogen receptor beta, which is known to have the opposite effect of estrogen receptor alpha. The novel treatment stopped the progression of heart failure.
The team says this is a major finding since they have not had a new drug developed for heart failure in the last several years.
Inflammation plays an important role in worsening symptoms of heart failure, but scientists have not been able to identify suitable treatments that can target ‘bad’ inflammation without affecting ‘good’ inflammation.
With this drug, researchers can selectively target ‘bad’ T-cells and stop the disease from getting worse.
Heart failure causes chronic inflammation and affects about 6 million Americans with many needing a heart transplant, according to the American Heart Association.
The two most common causes are high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
Currently, there is no treatment that can stop the progression of heart failure. About half of patients die within the first five years of their diagnosis.
This novel treatment addresses one of the underlying mechanisms of the disease.
With this drug, scientists may be able to significantly improve the lifespan of patients, and if they stop the disease at an early stage, patients may not even need a heart transplant.
If you care about heart failure, please read studies about diabetes drug that could revolutionize heart failure treatment, and this drug can be a low-cost heart failure treatment
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies that a year of committed exercise in middle age reversed worrisome heart failure, and results show this drug combo can cut risk of stroke and heart attack by half.
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