Novel Methods for Inducing Cardiac Tissue Regeneration Following Ischemic Injury

Abstract

Cardiac disease continues to be among the most prevalent causes of death worldwide. Presently, surgeries such as angioplasties, stents, and bypasses pose many risks. To improve outcomes in treating ischemia, researchers have been pursuing minimally invasive, biocompatible treatments such as gene therapies. Gene therapies are treatments that enhance or suppress target genes to alleviate illness. There are various applications for gene therapies, including, but not limited to, the treatment of cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. Gene and stem cell therapies can regenerate cardiac tissue that is damaged due to ischemia. Furthermore, gene therapies intended to evade the immune system may decrease infection risks due to the new tissue being better accepted by the body as it is created from patients’ own cells. While DNA treatments show poor results in treating cardiac illness, stem cells, such as mesenchymal stem cells and induced pluripotent cells, can differentiate into cardiomyocytes, and mRNA can be modified to express angiogenesis growth factors around the affected tissue. Although further research is needed to adapt these techniques for safe clinical use, they show potential for inducing cardiac tissue regeneration in ischemic injury. This paper conducts a review of the emerging techniques and evaluates gene therapy as a potential treatment for ischemic injury.