A novel pericyte mechanism involving the transcriptional activator Nrf2 and the transcriptional repressor Bach1 modulates antioxidant defence response and angiopoietin-dependent vascular stabilisation during reparative angiogenesis
Bristol researchers are on the search to solve the challenge of regenerating blood vessels. During a heart attack a coronary artery is blocked, starving part of the heart of oxygen. This injures the heart muscle and – in heart attack survivors – can lead to heart failure. Researchers around the world are searching for a way to help our bodies regenerate the blood supply to heart muscle, so we can fully recover from a heart attack. However, attempts so far have not given the hoped results - newly generated blood vessels have been too unstable. This Bristol team believe that the stability of new blood vessels depends upon a type of cell called pericytes, which surround the inner layer of the vessel. They think that pericytes dampen down the chemical stresses caused by blockage of a blood vessel and stabilise new vessel branches that could help to restore blood supply. They also think that these healing actions may be blocked after a heart attack by high levels of a protein called Bach1. In this project the team will investigate whether blocking Bach1 allows pericytes to stabilise and boost the regrowth of new blood vessels. The results will add another piece to the puzzle of how we can help the heart to heal itself after a heart attack.
Project details
| Grant amount | £231,626 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 10 November 2019 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/19/49/34440 |
| Status | In Progress |
