Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) has received a $3.1 million grant to uncover the underlying mechanisms of diabetic heart disease. The funding will support the research of Dr. Chi Fung Lee, whose groundbreaking work focuses on the molecule NAD+ and an enzyme called SARM1.

THE CRUCIAL CONNECTION: NAD+ AND CARDIOMYOPATHY

Dr. Lee's laboratory at OMRF is dedicated to unraveling the intricacies of heart disease and the factors that contribute to its development. One of the key molecules under investigation is NAD+, a critical component responsible for generating energy in the body. Prior research has highlighted a link between diminishing NAD+ levels and cardiomyopathy, a condition characterized by the weakening of the heart muscle.

People with diabetes are particularly susceptible to cardiomyopathy and other heart-related ailments. Dr. Lee attributes this vulnerability to the decline of NAD+. He has found that NAD+ plays a vital role in the metabolic processes of the heart, acting as its electrical wiring.

“When that wiring is compromised in the heart, it reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood to the whole body, ultimately leading to heart failure,” said Lee.

EXPLORING THE ROLE OF SARM1 IN HEART DISEASE

As part of this five-year study, Dr. Lee's team will focus on investigating the role of an enzyme called SARM1, which has been extensively studied for its impact on nerve fibers that transmit impulses from the brain. However, the OMRF team is the first to examine SARM1's potential role in heart disease.

Early findings from their research suggest that SARM1 may be a significant driver behind the decline of NAD+ levels in individuals with diabetes and obesity, thereby contributing to the progression of heart disease. Understanding the intricate interactions between NAD+ and SARM1 could pave the way for groundbreaking discoveries in the treatment of heart disease and cardiomyopathy.

POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR HEART DISEASE TREATMENT

Dr. Lijun Xia, who leads OMRF's Cardiovascular Biology Research Program, emphasizes the significance of Dr. Lee's research.

“Most research involving this enzyme has focused on the brain,” said Lijun Xia, M.D., Ph.D., head OMRF’s Cardiovascular Biology Research Program. “Clinical trials have tested a drug to inhibit it to treat neurological disorders. If his hypothesis proves correct, it could lead to new testing of that drug to treat heart disease.”

Lee’s grant was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a part of the National Institutes of Health.

This story originally ran on VeloCityOKC.com.