Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute 2021 Annual Report

THESE TINY LITTLE FISH
SHARE OVER 70% OF HUMAN
GENES WHICH HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO LEAD TO
NEW DRUG DEVELOPMENTS.
UNCOVERING
A SECRET
SWITCH
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DR KAZU KIKUCHI
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A critical new gene has been discovered that could
help repair damaged heart muscle after a heart attack.
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Researchers at the Institute identified
a genetic switch in zebrafish that
turns on cells allowing them to
divide and multiply after a heart
attack, resulting in the complete
regeneration and healing of damaged
heart muscle in these fish.
It’s already known that zebrafish
can heal their hearts, but research
published in Science revealed
for the first time the role played
by a critical gene called Klf1.
HOW THE GENE WORKS
NEXT STEPS
The next steps are to undertake further
research into the gene’s function to
see if it may also act as a switch in
human hearts and improve the ability
to pump blood around the body.
The discovery was made in
collaboration with the Garvan
Institute of Medical Research.
LATEST BREAKTHROUGHS
The gene makes remaining uninjured
heart muscle cells more immature
and changes their metabolic wiring.
This allows them to divide and make
new cells. When the gene is removed,
the zebrafish heart loses its ability
to repair itself after an injury such
as a heart attack, which pinpoints
it as a crucial self-healing tool.
Dr Kazu Kikuchi, who led this worldfirst
research whilst at the Institute,
says: “We identified a secret switch
that allows heart muscle cells to divide
and multiply after the heart is injured.
It kicks in when needed and turns
off when the heart is fully healed.
In humans where damaged and
scarred heart muscle cannot replace
itself, this could be transformative.”
victorchang.edu.au
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Top: Dr Kazu Kikuchi
Bottom: Prof Bob Graham talking to the media about the discovery
Far left: Zebra fish
Top: Professor Bob Graham
Bottom: Dr Kazu Kikuchi
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