Can a new drug prevent vein graft failure?

Attenuation of late vein graft failure by CK2 inhibition

Professor Sarah Jane George and her team at the University of Bristol want to improve the long term success of vein grafts, when a vein is used to bypass a blocked coronary artery in coronary artery bypass. Up to half of vein grafts used in coronary artery bypass procedures block up after ten years. This happens because blood vessel wall cells, called smooth muscle cells, overgrow and cause the inside of the vein graft to thicken. Professor George has found that blocking a protein called CK2 stops cells dividing and prevents grafts thickening in the lab. Drugs that block CK2, called CK2 inhibitors, are currently being tested in clinical trials for cancer. In this study, Dr George will identify the most effective CK2 inhibitor and study whether it can reduce vein graft failure in pigs. Her team will also study the CK2 inhibitor in cells and human tissue in the laboratory. Professor George will find out whether she can improve delivery of the CK2 inhibitor to the vein graft to reduce graft thickening more effectively by applying the inhibitor directly to the graft using a gel. This research could reveal a new way to improve the long term success of vein grafts used during coronary artery bypass grafts, a common current treatment for patients with coronary heart disease.