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Plant-derived hydrogel and photosynthetic nano-units for myocardial infarction therapy

Author

Listed:
  • YongBo Lv

    (Tongji University
    North Carolina State University)

  • Dashuai Zhu

    (Columbia University)

  • Junlang Li

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Yuan Li

    (Columbia University)

  • Chao Lu

    (North Carolina State University
    The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University)

  • Jianing Bi

    (The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University)

  • Ke Huang

    (Columbia University)

  • Shiqi Hu

    (Columbia University)

  • Shuo Liu

    (Columbia University)

  • Na Yan

    (Columbia University)

  • Ke Cheng

    (North Carolina State University
    Columbia University)

  • Juan Wang

    (Tongji University
    Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

Abstract

Ischemic injury and reperfusion injury collectively determine the total infarct size, a major prognostic factor following myocardial infarction (MI). Therefore, addressing both ischemic and reperfusion stages could substantially reduce infarct size and improve clinical outcomes. In this study, we develop a two-component therapeutic system from different parts of Glycyrrhiza: a functional hydrogel made from glycyrrhizic acid extracted from the stem and root, and nanosized chloroplast units (NCUs) derived from leaves. The hydrogel demonstrates therapeutic effects during both hypoxia and reoxygenation stages in vitro, while the photosynthetic NCUs alleviate hypoxia injury by providing ATP and NADPH under illumination. Subsequent in vivo study reveals the most significant therapeutic effect in the combination group (NCU plus hydrogel), which effectively treats both ischemic and reperfusion stages. Our study highlights the cross-species application of plant photosynthetic mechanisms in MI treatment and confirms that simultaneous treatment of ischemia and reperfusion is more effective than treating either stage alone, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for MI.

Suggested Citation

  • YongBo Lv & Dashuai Zhu & Junlang Li & Yuan Li & Chao Lu & Jianing Bi & Ke Huang & Shiqi Hu & Shuo Liu & Na Yan & Ke Cheng & Juan Wang, 2025. "Plant-derived hydrogel and photosynthetic nano-units for myocardial infarction therapy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62020-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62020-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dashuai Zhu & Zhenhua Li & Ke Huang & Thomas G. Caranasos & Joseph S. Rossi & Ke Cheng, 2021. "Minimally invasive delivery of therapeutic agents by hydrogel injection into the pericardial cavity for cardiac repair," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Pengfei Chen & Xin Liu & Chenhui Gu & Peiyu Zhong & Nan Song & Mobai Li & Zhanqiu Dai & Xiangqian Fang & Zhaoming Liu & Jianfeng Zhang & Ruikang Tang & Shunwu Fan & Xianfeng Lin, 2022. "A plant-derived natural photosynthetic system for improving cell anabolism," Nature, Nature, vol. 612(7940), pages 546-554, December.
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