Tissue Repair During Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Tissue Repair During Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in developed countries. Each year, over 19 million incidents of sudden cardiac events occur worldwide, with approximately 1 million of those in the United States. Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) suffer from a range of acute myocardial ischemic states. Thrombolysis and percutaneous intervention (PCI) are used to reperfuse the ischemic tissue and stabilize damage caused by infarction. After acute myocardial infarction (AMI), affected ischemic tissues undergo cell death from necrosis and apoptosis, followed by inflammation and a process of granulation leading to scar tissue formation. The period immediately following AMI provides a critical and unique opportunity to rescue damaged myocardial tissues and prevent fibrosis. The goal of this project is to develop a novel protein based therapy to rescue heart tissue from apoptosis, reduce inflammation and fibrosis, and restore cardiac function after AMI. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Tissue Repair During Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in developed countries. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) affects 19 million people worldwide, with a large number suffering from heart failure. To goal of this project is to develop a novel therapy that will significantly enhance the recovery of heart function after AMI and thereby greatly reduce the level of mortality while improving quality of life of affected patients.