Longevity & AgingSelf-assembling nanofibers calm rogue rhythms in transplanted stem cell heart muscle
Stem cell-derived heart muscle cells could one day repair hearts damaged by heart failure. But transplanted cells can fire on their own and trigger dangerous rhythm disturbances. Researchers tested RADA16, a clinically approved self-assembling peptide that forms nanofibers after injection, together with human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes transplanted into rat hearts. The peptide helped the cells shift toward adult-like gene expression, organize their contractile sarcomeres better, and promoted blood vessel growth at the graft site. Ultra-flexible mesh nanoelectronics recorded electrical activity within the beating heart. They detected fibrillation in the transplanted cells, and RADA16 drastically reduced the cells' automaticity. The work suggests a possible safety strategy for cardiac cell therapy, though it remains preclinical and was done in rats.
