Kiwi researchers have found the key to treating diabetic heart disease
Kiwi researchers have found the key to treating diabetic heart disease
14 March 2021
More than 250-thousand Kiwis have the condition - and more than half of type two diabetics will die from heart disease.
An Otago University study reports it's been a mystery why stem cell therapy works for heart disease, but not in diabetics.
Until now.
Researchers have found diabetic hearts are lacking a molecule which is crucial for stem cell survival and growth.
It can be fixed by simply injecting more of the MIR-30c molecule into the patient.
But, Associate Professor Rajesh Katare says it could take a decade before the treatment can be used clinically.
He says they'll need to do more laboratory testing to make sure they can repeat their findings, and then do clinical testing.
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