Natural fat molecule shows promise for treating diabetic heart disease
· News-MedicalMonash University drug discovery researchers have found that a natural fat molecule called ‘lipoxin A4’ (LXA4) could significantly reduce inflammation and improve function for diabetic hearts.
The preclinical study, published in Cardiovascular Diabetology, found LXA4, which is known for its "calming agent" action in turning off the body's inflammatory response and preventing chronic inflammation, could also serve as a potential new treatment for diabetes-induced heart disease.
Heart conditions like atherosclerosis, heart attacks and heart failure are the leading killers of people with diabetes, driving a growing global health crisis.
Senior author Dr. Chengxue Helena Qin, from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), said chronic inflammation plays a key role in these heart problems, causing ongoing damage to the diabetic heart over time.
Dr. Chengxue Helena Qin, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS)With recent advancements in developing more 'drug-like' LXA4, our findings point to the potential of LXA4-based therapies as a promising new way to manage diabetic heart disease."
"These good macrophages reduced scar formation (due to chronic inflammation) in the heart and also helped to improve the overall function."
The research was a collaborative effort between MIPS, the Department of Diabetes at Monash University's Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, and University College Dublin.
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