Newly discovered cardiac molecule help prevent heart failure

A previously unknown cardiac molecule has been discovered by the researchers that could provide a key to treating and preventing heart failure.

The newly discovered molecule is known as a long non-coding RNA which has been named as 'Myheart' carry instructions of the code from the DNA in a cell's nucleus to the machinery in the cell that produced proteins necessary for cell activities.

Dr. Chang, director of molecular and translational medicine at the Krannert Institute of Cardiology said that according to Myheart was a molecular crowbar that pries BRG1 off the genomic DNA and prevented it from manipulating genetic activity.

According to the researchers, mice with stress-induced high levels of BRG1 were able to restore Myheart to normal levels using gene transfer technology and restoring Myheart levels blocked BRG1 actions and prevented heart failure.

The study is published in the online edition of the journal Nature.