A recent study has identified a protein that shows promise for treating systolic heart failure, a condition affecting over 32 million individuals worldwide. Systolic heart failure occurs when the heart’s left ventricle cannot contract effectively, leading to inadequate blood circulation.
Researchers have focused on a protein known as PERM1, which is found in heart and skeletal muscles and plays a role in regulating mitochondrial function—the cell’s energy powerhouse. In a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, scientists demonstrated that PERM1 not only influences energy metabolism but also enhances the heart’s contractile ability.
In the study, the team delivered the PERM1 protein into the hearts of healthy mice using an adenovirus vector. This approach revealed that PERM1 positively affects mitochondrial function and improves heart muscle contraction. These findings suggest that PERM1 could be a potential therapeutic target for systolic heart failure by simultaneously addressing energy production deficits and muscle weakness.
The next phase of research involves testing the effects of PERM1 in failing hearts to determine if it can restore cardiac and mitochondrial function. If successful, this could pave the way for new treatments aimed at improving heart health in patients with systolic heart failure.
This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Seale Innovation Fund at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.
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