Promising new therapy for diabetic heart disease
Scientists including Prof Lea Delbridge (Dept of Anatomy & Physiology @ UniMelb) and University of Auckland, have discovered a new way to treat diabetic heart disease using gene therapy.
The new research, published this week in Nature Cardiovascular Research, is showing remarkable results in both mice and lab-grown human heart tissues.
Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide and often leads to problems with the heart’s ability to relax properly between beats, known as diastolic dysfunction. Until now, there have been no treatments that directly target the root causes of this condition.
The research team, led by Professor Lea Delbridge (Head of Cardiac Phenomics laboratory, Dept of Anatomy & Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences @ UniMelb) and Associate Professor Kim Mellor (Head of Cellular & Molecular Cardiology group, University of Auckland), found that a natural cellular process called glycophagy - which helps the heart manage its energy stores - is disrupted in diabetes. This leads to a buildup of glycogen (a sugar-based fuel) in heart muscle cells, making the heart stiff and less able to relax.
Image: Prof Lea Delbridge
Using a therapy that delivers genes to the heart to boost the level of a key protein called ‘GABARAPL1’, the scientists were able to restore function in diabetic mice. The treatment reduced glycogen buildup and improved heart performance - without affecting blood sugar levels or body weight.
We’ve shown that fixing this energy recycling system in heart cells can reverse the damage caused by diabetes. It’s a completely new way of thinking about how to treat diabetic heart disease.
Prof Lea Delbridge
The therapy also worked in miniature human hearts grown from stem cells, improving relaxation after each beat - a key sign of healthy heart function.
“This discovery could lead to a new class of treatments that target the heart directly, rather than just managing diabetes symptoms,” said Associate Professor Mellor.
The study involving many Australian, New Zealand and international investigators was supported by funding from the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia, Diabetes Australia, the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the Marsden Fund of New Zealand, and the National Institutes of Health (USA).