Rapamycin (also called sirolimus, marketed as Rapamune® by Wyeth) is a peptide produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus, originally developed as an antibiotic, but is more commonly used as an immunosuppresant to prevent rejection in organ transplantation. Researchers for the Virginia Commonwealth University report yet a novel use for this compound.

In the July issue of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, the official publication of the International Society for Heart Research, researchers demonstrated for the first time that pretreatment with a clinically relevant dose of rapamycin induces a protective effect against heart attack injury and reduces programmed cell death.

"Rapamycin may one day be beneficial as a potential therapeutic strategy to limit cell death caused by ischemia or reperfusion injury, and possibly long-term prevention of ventricular remodeling - the changes in size, shape and function that may occur to the left ventricle of the heart," said Rakesh C. Kukreja, Ph.D., professor of medicine and Eric Lipman Chair of Cardiology at VCU. Kukreja is lead author of the study.

Researchers also allude to the potential use of rapamycin to coat stents used to treat artery blockage.

For more details on how rapamycin works, refer to the VCU News.