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Cell transplant may help heart attack victims
Receiving a transplant of genetically-engineered cells may decrease the risk of a leading cause of sudden death, according to new research.
The research published in the latest issue of Nature shows that embryonic heart cells placed into the heart tissue of mice that had suffered heart attacks protected them from ventricular tachycardia.
Ventricular tachycardia is the leading cause of death after a heart attack, killing about 15% of patients within three years of their attack.
However, the research found that after receiving the embryonic cardiac cells, the hearts' electrical stability and function returned to normal.
Report researcher Dr Michael Kotlikoff, of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, said: 'For the first time we were able to see how cells used in therapy are working with other cells in a complex organ within a living animal, establishing the mechanism of the therapeutic effect.'
Dr Kotlikoff added that the results had 'important implications', but that the therapy would now need to be tested for its impact on naturally-occurring heart damage.
Category: Health
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