Overview
- Mount Sinai scientists delivered CCNA2 to adult human cardiomyocytes using a replication-deficient, human-compatible viral vector and directly observed cell division in culture.
- Cells from 41- and 55-year-old donor hearts divided after treatment, whereas cells from a 21-year-old donor did not, suggesting an age-linked response in this model.
- Newly formed daughter cells preserved sarcomeric structure and normal calcium activity, indicating they remained functional rather than becoming immature or diseased.
- The study extends a 2014 Science Translational Medicine result in pigs that showed post–heart attack regeneration after CCNA2 reactivation.
- The peer-reviewed findings were published November 3 in npj Regenerative Medicine, and researchers caution that safe, targeted in-heart delivery and controlled regeneration remain major challenges.