New Haven, Conn.—A protein has been found that influences the response of the heart to a lack of oxygen and blood flow, such as occurs during a heart attack, a team of Yale School of Medicine researchers report today in Nature.
This finding may present a new therapeutic approach to treating loss of blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
The protein, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), was found to activate an important cellular stress response enzyme called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). AMPK is a key regulator of cellular energy balance and protects the heart from injury during a heart attack.
MIF had previously been shown to regulate the immune response, contributing to disease processes such as hardening of the arteries, arthritis, and the body’s response to infection.
“We found that when MIF is released in response to a lack of oxygen, it causes the activation of AMPK,” said Richard Bucala, M.D., a professor of rheumatology and pathology who co-authored the study. “Thus, this protein which contributes to inflammatory diseases has a protective metabolic effect in the heart.” |
