SFRP1 inhibits this pathway, providing significant protection to aging hearts from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) injury.As a small molecule gene therapy, SFRP1 has the potential to enhance heart function, reduce myocardial fibrosis, block cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and mitigate AMI injury in aged animals. The gene discussed is SFRP1; the disease is acute myocardial infarction.