Vol. 3, Issue 1

Kim, N. (2019). The impact of carnosine on myosin for a possible intervention or prevention of systolic heart failure. The Young Researcher, 3 (1), 89-101. 

Abstract
Heart failure is a common but serious condition that affects approximately 5.7 million adults in the United States and costs the economy $30.7 billion each year. More specifically, systolic heart failure, otherwise known as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), is the most common form of heart failure that occurs when the muscle of the left ventricle loses its ability to contract, preventing enough oxygen and blood from circulating throughout the body. Although a myriad of treatment options have emerged in recent years for the treatment of heart failure and left ventricular systolic heart dysfunction, there is yet to be an established and definite treatment for this condition. Thus, it is paramount to develop a more effective therapeutic treatment by specifically targeting the carnosine protein. Through an analysis on the ATP activity of myosin with and without carnosine, it was discovered that myosin activity increases in the presence of carnosine. This is a significant discovery as carnosine allows for contractions of the heart to increase. As heart contractions increase from an increase in myosin, increasing actin activity through a directly proportional relationship, it allows for an increased amount of blood to be pumped from the heart. Thus, the hypothesis was supported as the carnosine protein can be seen to enhance muscle contractions of the heart and allow for the treatment or possible prevention of systolic heart failure, which can be caused by any condition that impairs the heart muscle’s ability to pump blood.

Keywords: carnosine, myosin, myosin ATPase activity, systolic heart failure, contractile function

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ISSN 2560-9815 (Print)
ISSN 2560-9823 (Online)

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