\ntropoelastin in treating heart disease has been investigated.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Figure5edit-forMR_1.jpg\")
<\/div>\nIMAGE: Cross section of heart muscle sample. After the heart attack, it leaves behind scar made of collagen (pink). After tropoelastin is given, there is increased elastin (purple), which makes the scar less stiff and more flexible.<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n \u201cThis research showcases the potential of tropoelastin in heart repair and suggest further Repairing tissue damage from heart attacks<\/strong> For this injection, the researchers used a new surgical method utilising ultrasound to guide After 28 days the researchers found the heart muscle, originally damaged and scarred at Further tests found tropoelastin reduced scar size and essentially stabilises it by increasing Additional experiments on human cardiac fibroblasts (a subset of human heart cells Elastin is a crucial protein that gives human tissue elasticity and the ability to stretch. \u201cWe hope to continue developing the method so it can eventually be used in a clinical setting
\nwork will show exciting possibilities of its role in future treatments and therapies,\u201d says lead
\nresearcher Dr Robert Hume who conducted the research at the Westmead Institute for
\nMedical Research (WIMR). Dr Hume is currently based at the University of Sydney\u2019s Charles Perkins
\nCentre.<\/p>\n
\nFour days after a heart attack, purified tropoelastin was injected into the heart.
\nCo-author Professor Anthony Weiss from the Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Science
\nexplained: \u201cTropoelastin can repair the heart because it is a precise replica of the body\u2019s natural elastic protein.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nthe needle into the heart wall, which is less invasive than previous methods.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Heart-Scar-hume-Figure2Bedit-forMR.jpg\")
<\/div>\nIMAGE: Echocardiography of the heart wall. LVAW is the section after a heart attack and shows scarring damage compared to LVPW which is healthy. Tropoelastin was given 4 days after a heart attack, then the heart recovered as shown by the wave-like patterns.\u00a0<\/em><\/small><\/h5>\n
\nthe beginning, regained its elasticity and resembled muscle function similar to before the
\nheart attack.<\/p>\n
\nits elastin content and therefore decreasing the stiffness of the scar.<\/p>\n
\nresponsible for maintaining the structure of a normal heart), in a petri dish showed after the
\ncells were treated with tropoelastin, they were able to generate elastin.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat we have found is highly encouraging,\u201d says senior author, WIMR’s Associate Professor James
\nChong.<\/p>\n
\nand used to treat and improve the lives of the millions of heart failure patients worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n