Can carbon monoxide treatment prevent certain types of heart disease?

The use of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules to reduce restenosis in a mouse model

Many patients with heart disease undergo stent implantation to improve the function of disease vessel walls. Some patients receive stents that release chemicals to help prevent disease after fitting, but these are not without risks; biodegradable stents hold promise but to date do not have adequate structure and delivery. Evidence suggests that carbon-monoxide-releasing molecules exert a protective effect by providing a more favourable cardiac environment: they are thought to reduce inflammation, tissue growth, and cell death. Understanding their protective role could mean they are one day an important part of ensuring successful stent treatment for heart patients. A University of Sheffield team is trying to improve the success of stent treatment for patients with blocked arteries. Stents improve the blood supply to the heart but in time scar tissue in the stent area can lead to re-narrowing of the blood vessel and the development of heart disease due to inflammation and cell overgrowth. The team will investigate in mice whether this process – called restenosis – can be prevented by an injection of molecules that release carbon monoxide. These molecules are thought to reduce inflammation and inappropriate cell growth. The findings in mice will be very important to determine whether carbon-monoxide-releasing molecules could be tested as a potential treatment for restenosis in larger animals before clinical trials in humans.