Damage limitation after a heart attack

Novel means of cardioprotection by exploiting pathways activated by Stromal Derived Factor-1α

Dr Sean Davidson is studying how we can protect the heart from further damage after a heart attack to prevent progression to heart failure During a heart attack, the heart is starved of blood carrying oxygen. The only way to protect the heart is by rapidly restoring coronary blood flow. But contrary to what we might expect, restoring blood flow can also cause damage – this is called reperfusion injury. Dr Davidson is investigating new ways to protect against reperfusion injury and has discovered that a small protein secreted by cells, called stromal derived factor 1a (SDF-1a), could help to protect against damage. This protein also directs stem cells to the site of injury to mend the damage. In this project, Dr Davidson will investigate if SDF-1a can protect the heart in cells and animals and try to understand exactly how it works. If this study, in mice and rats, is a success, the findings could lead to more research in people to confirm if SDF-1a could reduce the amount of heart muscle that dies during a heart attack.