Capillary-selective vasodilation through myosin inhibition halts ischaemic cascades.

Capillary-selective vasodilation via myosin inhibition with R(+)2501 rapidly restores blood flow and improves survival in reperfused models of myocardial infarction and kidney injury.

• Why it matters: Capillary no-reflow persists despite arterial reperfusion and is linked to increased mortality and reinfarction risk, yet no targeted therapies currently address this issue.
• What they did: Researchers developed R(+)2501, a myosin-specific, capillary-selective vasodilator, and tested it in animal models of acute myocardial infarction and kidney injury, using in vivo imaging and ex vivo experiments.
• The result: R(+)2501 quickly reversed pericyte constriction, restored capillary flow, reduced trapped neutrophils, and markedly improved survival, suggesting a new strategy to prevent ischemic damage across organs.