Mount Sinai Scientists Uncover Link Between Influenza and Heart Disease
New study results could lead to mRNA therapeutic to reduce the risk of cardiac damage (press release)
(February 09, 2026)
Mount Sinai researchers have identified a cellular mechanism linking infections from influenza A viruses (IAVs) to cardiovascular disease, providing critical insights on how influenza can damage the heart and increase the risk of a heart attack or other major cardiovascular event.
Through its work with mouse models and human data, the team also provided evidence that a cutting-edge modified mRNA treatment that dampens an interferon signaling pathway in the heart can significantly mitigate cardiac damage following viral infection while preserving the protective antiviral response of the immune system. The study was published in the February 9 issue of Immunity.
“We have known for years that the frequency of heart attacks increases during flu season, yet outside of clinical intuition, scant evidence exists of the underlying mechanisms of that phenomenon,”...
LINK:
https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2026/mount-sinai-scientists-uncover-link-between-influenza-and-heart-disease
