New treatment shows promise in preventing heart failure after heart attack

A study in mice finds treatment with a molecule called MCB-613 repairs heart tissue after a severe heart attack, preventing damage that can lead to heart failure. The findings are being presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting.

“This is a remarkable discovery that may lead to effective and safe treatments to prevent the progression to heart failure after a heart attack,” said lead researcher Lisa K. Mullany, Ph.D., of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Heart failure after a heart attack is the leading cause of death in humans, and currently there are no definitive therapies other than heart transplantation.

Researchers had previously found that MCB-613 stimulates proteins called steroid receptor coactivators (SRCs). These proteins are responsible for cellular changes and growth during both normal and abnormal tissue growth. After a heart attack, the damaged tissue scars. This results in tissue loss, as well as increased inflammation, scarring and decrease in heart function—all hallmarks of heart failure caused by a heart attack.

In the new study, the researchers were able to show that when mice were given MCB-613 within hours after a heart attack, the molecule decreased inflammation and scarring, and prevented the progressive decrease in heart function.

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