Biochemical controls: guiding heart repair (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, October 27, 2024, 18:12 (25 days ago) @ David Turell

A single important protein:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241025122619.htm

"UCLA scientists have identified the protein GPNMB as a critical regulator in the heart's healing process after a heart attack.

"Using animal models, they demonstrate that bone marrow-derived immune cells called macrophages secrete GPNMB, which binds to the receptor GPR39, promoting heart repair. These findings offer a new understanding of how the heart heals itself and could lead to new treatments aimed at improving heart function and preventing the progression to heart failure.

"Previous clinical studies have indicated that GPNMB, or glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B, has been strongly associated with cardiovascular outcomes of individuals with heart failure. What was not clear, however, was if lacking the protein was directly responsible for the development of heart failure after a heart attack. This important distinction -- whether GPNMB is just an associated biomarker or one that plays a causal role -- determines if the protein can be considered a therapeutic target for future studies.

"Utilizing mouse models, the researchers first established that GPNMB is not natively expressed by the heart itself but is produced by inflammatory cells originating from the bone marrow. After a heart attack, these macrophages travel to the site of injury in the heart, where they express GPNMB.

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"In addition to identifying GPNMB as a signaling molecule with effects across various cell types, the researchers uncovered that it binds to GPR39, previously considered an orphan receptor, or a receptor whose binding partner is not known. This interaction triggers a cascade of signals that promote tissue regeneration and limit scarring."

Comment: another example of a specific molecule with a special role. Same question. Can chance produce this? Not likely but design can.