Spanish researchers have developed a new iron-based material used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with laboratory trial results demonstrating its ability to detect heart tissue fibrosis and limit its progression in cultured human tissue models.
The scientific website Medical Xpress reported on Thursday that the study, conducted by researchers from the CIC biomaGUNE center in San Sebastian, in collaboration with scientists from the University of the Basque Country and the Institute of Biomedical and Biotechnology of Cantabria in Spain, and published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, aimed to develop a potential alternative to gadolinium used in MRI scans.
The material consists of microscopic aggregates of iron atoms, approximately 1.4 nanometers in diameter, surrounded by specially designed proteins to isolate them and improve their magnetic properties. Experiments showed that these aggregates concentrate more in fibrotic areas of heart tissue, and the intensity of the signal they produce in MRI images increases with the degree of fibrosis, allowing for precise identification of damaged areas.
Researchers tested the material on models of human heart tissue produced using three-dimensional tissue engineering techniques. The results showed its ability to reduce collagen production and accumulation, and limit tissue stiffening, indicating its potential future use for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Heart fibrosis occurs due to collagen accumulation in the heart muscle after damage or continuous stress, which increases tissue stiffness and weakens the heart's ability to receive and pump blood, and is considered a factor associated with the progression of heart failure.
These results open the door to developing new methods for detecting and monitoring heart fibrosis, although evaluating the safety and efficacy of the material in patients requires further studies.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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