Private AreaThe Nano-to-Heart program's nanotheranostic approach combines cell mechano-sensation therapy in selected type of cells with nanotechnology.
This program employs a novel nanotheranostic approach for heart failure treatment. It integrates mechanosensation therapy, targeting specific cell types to stimulate repair, with advanced nanotechnology for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of cardiac function. This combined strategy aims to establish a new standard of care for heart failure.
Approach
Heart failure is a global health concern characterized by progressive cardiac dysfunction.
Yearly mortality
million in Europe
million in USA
In this scenario, the development of technologies improving the efficacy of the available therapies can reduce the society costs.
A hallmark of Heart Failure pathogenesis is myocardial remodeling, driven by pathological processes such as ischemia/reperfusion injury, pressure overload, and chronic inflammation. These stimuli activate cardiac fibroblasts, leading to excessive extracellular matrix deposition, primarily collagen, resulting in increased myocardial stiffness and impaired cardiac function. This fibrotic remodeling is exacerbated by the recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells, which further perpetuate the pro-fibrotic environment and contribute to the decline in cardiac performance. Despite advancements in therapies to manage the symptoms of heart failure, it remains associated with significant mortality.
This underscores a significant gap in the availability of advanced therapeutic products capable of addressing the underlying causes of this debilitating condition.
We plan to use nanotechnologies to deliver medications and imaging agents directly to the mechano-sensitive cells for multimodal real time monitoring of the therapeutic effect in vivo.
Our approach has the potential to emerge as a realistic and ground-breaking innovation in the scenario of the current treatments in combating the consequences of heart failure and other fibrotic pathologies with significant benefits for public health.
Workpackage
For effective management and execution, the project has been organized into five interconnected work packages.
- WP1 Design of nanotheranostic carriers altereting mechanosensation in cardiac cells. This work package will investigate the design of nanocarriers that can interact with the mechanosensing machinery of cardiac cells. By delivering therapeutic molecules or modulating mechanical cues, these nanocarriers will aim to restore healthy cardiac function in conditions characterized by altered mechanotransduction.
- WP2 In vitro validation of nanocarriers. WP2 focuses on the in vitro evaluation of the developed nanocarriers. This will involve characterizing their interaction with target cells, assessing their biocompatibility and toxicity, and determining their efficacy in delivering therapeutic payloads or modulating cellular processes relevant to the project's objectives.
- WP3 Scale up for pre-clinical studies. WP3 will scale up the production of the validated nanocarriers to generate sufficient quantities for pre-clinical studies.
- WP4 In vivo validation. This work package will assess the in vivo performance of the nanocarriers, including their biodistribution, targeting specificity, therapeutic efficacy, and potential toxicity in appropriate animal models.
- WP5 Exploitation, dissemination and communication. This work package will focus on maximizing the impact of the project through dissemination of research findings to the scientific community and broader public, as well as exploring opportunities for commercial exploitation of the developed nanocarriers.
A NANO-theranostic tool TO prevent mechanosensing-dependent pro-fibrotic evolution and failure of the HEART