Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, causing approximately 9 million deaths annually. Currently, reperfusion therapy (such as thrombolysis or interventional procedures) is the primary method to restore myocardial blood flow. However, the ensuing myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) has become a key challenge limiting therapeutic efficacy. MIRI involves multiple pathological mechanisms including inflammatory burst, oxidative stress, calcium overload, and ferroptosis. Traditional drugs struggle to effectively intervene due to poor targeting and low bioavailability. In recent years, nanomaterials have emerged as a promising strategy to address this challenge due to their unique size effects, functionable surfaces, and good biocompatibility. This article delves into the latest advances in nanomaterial-based intervention strategies for MIRI from three core dimensions.

For decades, scientists struggled to pin down which gene is responsible for the heart problems that are so common among babies born with Down syndrome. Now, scientists at Gladstone Institutes have an answer. In a study published in Nature, the researchers leveraged stem cell science and artificial intelligence to discover that a gene called HMGN1 disrupts how DNA is packaged and regulated, and can throw off levels of hundreds of other molecules involved in healthy heart development.