Patch improves healing after heart attack in rats and pigs

A US study has developed a technology using rats and pigs that can stimulate the immune system to heal the heart after a heart attack.  

Researchers from Texas A&M University and Columbia University developed a patch with a microneedle system that, when placed on the surface of the heart, dissolves and releases IL-4, a molecule known to regulate the immune system.  

After a heart attack, cells die due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients, which triggers an immune system response and causes inflammation. In the short term, this inflammation can stabilise the heart by forming a scar. However, scar tissue cannot contract, and the remaining heart tissue contracts harder to compensate, often leading to heart failure.  

The patch, when placed on the heart of rats and pigs immediately after a heart attack, reduced inflammation and made the heart cells more responsive to the tissues around them. This reduced the formation of scars and improved heart function. 

“This is just the beginning,” said Ke Huang, author of the study published in Cell Biomaterials. “We’ve proven the concept. Now we want to optimize the design and delivery.” Next steps include developing a patch that can be inserted into the heart through a small tube, avoiding open-chest surgery.