Will inhibiting an enzyme called Nox2 treat heart and circulatory disease?

Evaluation of the therapeutic potential of LMH001 (a novel Nox2 inhibitor) in angiotensin II-induced hypertension and vessel wall damage in mice

Evidence is emerging that an enzyme called NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2) is involved in blood vessel wall damage, high blood pressure, and aneurysms by producing harmful molecules called oxidants. Targeting Nox2 could be a way of treating these diseases, but currently, a drug that blocks Nox2 is not available, and general anti-oxidant therapies are not effective in the clinic. We need drugs to treat oxidative damage-related diseases, and many scientists are searching for specific Nox2 inhibitors around the world. Professor Jian-Mei Li from the University of Reading has developed a specific Nox2 inhibitor called LMH001 using a combination of computer modelling and biochemistry. They have found that LMH001 is not toxic to human cells or mice, and that it prevents oxidative stress in blood vessels and high blood pressure, protecting blood vessels. The BHF has awarded the Surrey team a grant to investigate the therapeutic potential of LMH001 in treating high blood pressure, blood vessel wall restructuring, aneurysm and organ damage in mice. If successful, this research could lead to further studies to test LMH001 and reveal a new way to prevent or treat oxidative stress-related heart and circulatory damage in the future.