Growth Factor Therapy Shows Extended Heart Repair in Preclinical Study

Breakthrough in Cardiac Regeneration

Researchers have demonstrated extended improvement in cardiac function using platelet-derived growth factor-AB (PDGF-AB) as a therapeutic agent for heart repair following myocardial infarction, according to a recent study published in npj Regenerative Medicine. The preclinical investigation, conducted in a porcine model that closely mimics human heart conditions, reportedly shows promising results for lasting cardiac recovery.

Breakthrough in Cardiac Regeneration
Extended Therapeutic Efficacy
Rigorous Experimental Methodology
Comprehensive Cardiac Assessment
Advanced Electrophysiological Evaluation
Clinical Implications and Future Directions

Extended Therapeutic Efficacy

The study reveals that PDGF-AB treatment led to significant cardiac function improvement that persisted for 60 days post-myocardial infarction, sources indicate. This extended efficacy represents a substantial advancement in regenerative approaches for heart attack recovery. Researchers suggest the growth factor therapy modulates the post-infarct myocardium, creating conditions conducive to sustained repair and functional improvement.

According to reports, the comprehensive multi-modality assessment protocol provided unified data for longitudinal evaluation of post-infarction changes. The experimental design included detailed cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), electrophysiological studies, and sophisticated imaging techniques to thoroughly characterize the therapeutic effects.

Rigorous Experimental Methodology

The research involved 25 female Landrace swine that underwent carefully controlled procedures, with all experiments approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Western Sydney Local Health District. Animals were reportedly acclimatized for at least two weeks before experimental procedures began, following ARRIVE guidelines for animal research.

Myocardial infarction was induced through precise angioplasty balloon inflation in the left anterior descending artery for 90 minutes, with cessation of flow confirmed angiographically. Control animals proceeded to recovery after infarction, while PDGF-AB treated animals received the growth factor through mini-pump insertion at a fixed infusion rate of 65 μg/kg for 7 days.

Comprehensive Cardiac Assessment

Researchers employed sophisticated cMRI protocols on a Siemens 3T Prisma system to evaluate cardiac structure and function. The assessment included multiple imaging sequences: TrueFISP and HASTE for anatomical planning, T1 mapping for tissue characterization, diffusion tensor imaging for microstructural analysis, and late gadolinium enhancement for infarct quantification.

Analysis of cardiac volumes followed Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance guidelines, with manual endocardial and epicardial contouring performed on short axis stacks. Strain analysis provided additional functional assessment, with global longitudinal strain averaged from three apical views and global circumferential strain derived from basal, midventricular, and apical slices.

Advanced Electrophysiological Evaluation

All subjects underwent detailed electrophysiological study using the Ensite Precision EAM system to generate substrate maps delineating scar, border, and remote zones. Programmed ventricular stimulation protocols were performed to assess arrhythmia vulnerability, with inducible ventricular tachycardia confirmed using modified stimulation protocols.

The report states that comprehensive tissue characterization included extracellular volume fraction calculation from T1 mapping, infarct size quantification using semi-automated algorithms, and diffusion tensor parameters assessment using custom Python software.

Clinical Implications and Future Directions

This research represents a significant step toward clinical translation of growth factor therapies for cardiac repair. The extended 60-day efficacy observed in a large animal model closely resembling human physiology suggests potential for future clinical applications. Researchers indicate that the multi-modality assessment protocol provides invaluable data for understanding longitudinal changes following myocardial infarction and treatment.

While these findings show promising results for regenerative cardiac medicine, analysts suggest further studies are needed to fully characterize the mechanisms underlying PDGF-AB’s therapeutic effects and to establish optimal dosing and delivery parameters for potential human trials.