Korea University

Korean scientists discover a groundbreaking method to transform ordinary fibroblasts into mature cardiomyocytes SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Korea University have achieved a significant breakthrough in regenerative medicine. They have demonstrated how fibroblast growth factor 4 and Ascorbic acid, known as vitamin C, can induce the trans-differentiation of fibroblasts into functional cardiomyocytes. This discovery activates key cellular pathways and offers hope for developing treatments for cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death worldwide. Continue Reading This diagram illustrates how the combination of fibroblast growth factor 4 and ascorbic acid activates the JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway, promoting the maturation of induced cardiomyocytes (iCMs). This approach effectively reprograms fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes with improved structure and function, offering exciting possibilities for regenerative medicine. Cardiovascular disease continues to lead as the primary cause of death across the globe, taking millions of lives every year. Damage caused by these diseases is particularly difficult to repair, since the heart has minimal ability to regenerate itself. But what if we could reprogram the body's own cells to restore damaged tissue? This groundbreaking question has been tackled by scientists at Korea University, led by Dr. Myeong-Hwa Song. The team has unveiled an innovative technique to convert fibroblasts—common connective tissue cells—into mature and functional induced cardiomyocytes (iCMs). Their method relies on combining fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) with vitamin C, a pairing that accelerates cell maturation and enhances function. "Our findings bring us closer to transforming regenerative medicine into practical therapies," says Dr. Song, who is based at Korea University's Department of Cardiology and in Seoul, South Korea. "This research takes an important step toward using a patient's own cells to repair their heart." Direct cardiac reprogramming, a process that bypasses the intermediate stem cell stage, allows fibroblasts to be converted into iCMs. While this approach holds significant promise, scientists have struggled to produce mature and fully functional cardiomyocytes. The Korea University team addressed this hurdle by activating a critical cellular mechanism: the JAK2–STAT3 signaling pathway. Through their research, the scientists employed advanced techniques like RNA sequencing, fluorescence imaging, and electrophysiological testing. Their results revealed key improvements: better cell structure with well-defined sarcomeres and T-tubules, enhanced electrical activity with improved ion channel function, and a higher efficiency in generating mature, fully reprogrammed cardiomyocytes. Dr. Song explained that the JAK2-STAT3 pathway was crucial to these outcomes, enabling the induction of cells that closely mimic the structure and function of natural cardiomyocytes. This discovery, published in Experimental & Molecular Medicine on October 10, 2024, holds tremendous promise for regenerative medicine. By promoting mature cardiomyocytes from a patient's own tissue, it may one day be possible to repair damage from heart attacks or other cardiovascular conditions. Such an approach could reduce reliance on heart transplants and potentially revolutionize treatments for millions of patients. However, further studies are necessary to ensure this method is both safe and effective for clinical use. "We're thrilled with these results, but this is just the beginning," says Prof. Song. "More research will be required before we can bring this approach to patients. That said, the possibilities are incredibly exciting." If translated into therapy, this technique could provide a personalized solution for regenerating heart tissue, establishing a significant advance in combating cardiovascular disease. Reference Title of original paper: FGF4 and ascorbic acid enhance the maturation of induced cardiomyocytes by activating JAK2–STAT3 signaling Journal: Experimental & Molecular Medicine DOI: About Korea University College of Medicine Website: Contact: Yoo-Jung Lee +82 2 2286-1131 [email protected] SOURCE Korea University College of Medicine WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Pioneering Korea's ARPA-H Project: Focused on mRNA Vaccine Room-Temperature Storage and Extra-Long-Term Preservation Creating a Platform for Prolonged Room-Temperature Storage and Efficient Distribution of mRNA Vaccines SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 30, a Korean Biotech company, DX&VX(; KOSDAQ 180400, Majority shareholder Lim Chong-yoon) announced its selection as a co-research institution for Korea's first ARPA-H project, titled "STOREx: Stockpile Technology to Omit Repeated Entity for Vx." This groundbreaking initiative aims to establish materials and production processes to enable room-temperature, ultra-long-term storage of mRNA vaccines. DX&VX will lead the verification of genomic integrity of the mRNA vaccine technology, a crucial step toward commercialization. Modeled after the U.S. ARPA-H initiative, the Korean ARPA-H project is managed by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) and seeks to resolve major healthcare challenges through innovation. This specific project centers on advancing technology for the extra-long-term, room-temperature preservation of mRNA vaccines, thereby enhancing national health security and bolstering rapid pandemic response capabilities. Led by Professor Seung-Soo Oh from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), the project includes a consortium of institutions: DX&VX, Korea University, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Ewha Womans University, and Seoul Asan Medical Center. DX&VX will play a pivotal role in both technology validation and subsequent commercialization of this critical vaccine storage solution. This project has secured a significant research fund of 8.5 billion KRW over five years, with an allocation breakdown of 1.5 billion KRW for the initial phase, 5 billion KRW for the second phase, and 2 billion KRW for the final phase. Having previously collaborated with POSTECH on mRNA vaccine advancements, including lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology, DX&VX will now concentrate on enabling room-temperature storage and extra-long-term preservation for mRNA vaccines. Given that current mRNA vaccines require ultra-cold storage and have limited shelf lives, these advancements are expected to ease distribution challenges, reduce costs, and foster a self-reliant national healthcare system, thus ensuring vaccine sovereignty in the face of future health crises. "We will play a pivotal role in this project based on our expertise accumulated in the field of precision medicine, such as genomic integrity analysis technology", said Kevin Kwon, CEO of DX&VX. "The development of mRNA vaccine's room temperature extra-long-term preservation technology and mass production process technology is the best innovative technology that can change the game itself in the existing mRNA vaccine market. We will actively commercialize this technology to lead the development of domestic vaccines and grow it into a standard for the global mRNA vaccine platform." SOURCE Dx&Vx WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Treatment with direct-acting antivirals improve liver-related clinical outcomes and reduce liver fibrosis in patients with Hepatitis C virus infection SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HCV infection is the underlying cause for chronic Hepatitis C (CHC), liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In 2019, over 2,90,000 people died of HCV-related diseases. Recent medical advancement made a new breakthrough treatment available for patients with hepatitis C. DAAs that block replication of HCV has dramatically transformed the treatment approach with around 90% effective anti-viral response rates. However, it is unclear whether DAAs impact the severity of disease burden caused by liver fibrosis. Continue Reading Researchers from multiple institutions across South Korea collected individual participant data from the medical records of patients with hepatitis C virus infection, treated with direct-acting antivirals. They compared liver fibrosis, a key feature of disease severity, and liver-related clinical outcomes of untreated group with the DAA group. To answer this critical question, Associate Professor Seungbong Han from the Department of Biostatistics, Korea University College of Medicine, South Korea collaborated with his colleagues across multiple centers in South Korea to evaluate the impact of DAAs on the fibrotic disease burden in patients with chronic HCV infection. Their study was made available online on May 30, 2024 and was published in Volume 73 of the journal eClinicalMedicine on July 1, 2024. Sharing his vision, Associate Prof. Han says, "For individuals, early detection and effective treatment would mean fewer complications, better health outcomes, and enhanced quality of life. Successful strategies could serve as models for other countries with high Hepatitis C prevalence, leading to global improvement in Hepatitis C management." The team collected medical records of 11,725 patients with HCV infection from 29 institutions in South Korea. They compared individual participant data from 3,261 untreated to 8,464 patients treated with DAAs, for a follow-up period of 27.5 months. To evaluate liver disease severity and outcomes, they analyzed non-invasive reporters of liver fibrosis and stiffness, and evaluated their risk of developing liver cancer, damaged liver function, and death. They observed that DAA treatment reduced fibrotic disease burden and lowered the risk of disease progression to cancer or cirrhosis, increasing life expectancy. The differences were most prominent in age groups 40–60 years. One of the limitations of this study is the reliance on non-invasive tests for measuring liver fibrosis. "Noninvasive scores and liver stiffness, are not accurate for detecting reduced fibrosis after sustained viral response in patients with HCV infection because improvements in noninvasive tests typically reflect the expected reduction of necro-inflammation but not that of fibrosis," explains Associate Prof. Han. How important are liver biopsies for accurate assessment? Biopsy of the liver is the gold standard method to accurately measure and stage liver fibrosis. However, the risks and expertise needed to perform this challenging procedure limits repeatability. Despite the limitation, this study provides scientific evidence that use of DAA is a crucial strategy for reducing liver fibrosis-based disease burden and improving clinical outcomes. Sustainability in healthcare requires evidence-based allocation of healthcare resources. The findings from this study merits public health campaigns raising awareness about Hepatitis C and its risks that will promote nationwide screening for HCV positivity. Early intervention with advanced antiviral approaches is likely to decrease healthcare costs associated with treating advanced liver diseases like cancer or cirrhosis, freeing up resources for other critical healthcare needs. "Our study can help improve public health, healthcare systems, and individual lives by encouraging the development of early intervention and effective treatment strategies for HCV infection," concludes Associate Prof. Han. Reference Title of original paper: Effect of direct-acting antivirals on disease burden of hepatitis C virus infection in South Korea in 2007–2021: A nationwide, multicentre, retrospective cohort study Journal: eClinicalMedicine DOI: About Korea University College of Medicine Website: Media Contact: Soo-Jin Jeon +82 2 3407 4040 [email protected] SOURCE Korea University College of Medicine