Cancer drug could promote regeneration of heart tissue

[ScienceRocks]

Cancer drug could promote regeneration of heart tissue
February 3, 2017

An anticancer agent in development promotes regeneration of damaged heart muscle 0- an unexpected research finding that may help prevent congestive heart failure in the future.

Many parts of the body, such as blood cells and the lining of the gut, continuously renew throughout life. Others, such as the heart, do not. Because of the heart's inability to repair itself, damage caused by a heart attack causes permanent scarring that frequently results in serious weakening of the heart, known as heart failure.

For years, Dr. Lawrence Lum, Associate Professor of Cell Biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has worked to develop a cancer drug targeting Wnt signaling molecules. These molecules are crucial for tissue regeneration, but also frequently contribute to cancer. Essential to the production of Wnt proteins in humans is the porcupine (Porcn) enzyme, so-named because fruit fly embryos lacking this gene resemble a porcupine. In testing the porcupine inhibitor researchers developed, they noted a curiosity.

Read more at: Cancer drug could promote regeneration of heart tissue

Research sometimes can lead to unexpected uses....Always worth its weight in gold.

 

[Old Rocks]

There was a very wise cowboy from the high desert of Christmas Valley, Reuben Long, who stated that "Research is always a bargain, even when it costs too much".