Tuesday 31/March/2026 – 09:05 PM
A new scientific study revealed an innovative therapeutic approach that may change the future of treatment Heart attackBy using RNA-based injections to stimulate the body to repair heart muscle damage.
New treatment idea
The study, led by researchers from Columbia University and published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, relied on an unconventional strategy of turning the body’s skeletal muscle into a source for producing therapeutic molecules targeting the damaged heart.
This approach relies on injecting RNA into arm or leg muscles, causing them to produce an inactive version of a therapeutic protein known as ANP protein.
How does it work inside the body?
After the protein is produced, it travels through the bloodstream unaffected, until it reaches the heart, where it is activated by specific enzymes, to immediately begin repairing the damaged tissue precisely at the site of the injury.
The importance of this method lies in overcoming a major problem that hindered the use of this protein as a medicine, which is its rapid decomposition in the blood before reaching the heart.
Promising results in experiments
Pre-clinical trials on animals showed remarkable results, with just one dose reducing scarring resulting from myocardial damage, with a noticeable improvement in heart efficiency.
The effect of the treatment also lasted for several weeks, thanks to the use of an advanced type of RNA that is able to replicate itself within the body, allowing continuous production of the therapeutic protein.
One of the most prominent advantages of this treatment is that it remains effective even when given days after the injury, which gives a greater opportunity for patients who do not receive immediate care after a heart attack.
Despite these encouraging results, the treatment is still in its early stages and has not yet been tested on humans. Researchers stress the need to conduct extensive clinical trials to ensure its effectiveness and safety, especially as RNA activity continues within the body for a long time, which may raise concerns regarding possible side effects.
