Investigating the role of SVEP1 in vascular smooth muscle contraction

Functional investigation of the coronary artery disease associated gene SVEP1 in vascular smooth muscle contraction

Leicester researchers will uncover the function of a gene linked to heart disease. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the UK. Our risk of developing it is determined both by our lifestyle and our genes. Recent research has identified that people carrying an alteration in a gene called SVEP1 are at higher risk of heart disease. The same alteration is also associated with high blood pressure. The researchers believe that SVEP1 plays an important role in preventing the muscle surrounding our blood vessels from contracting too much. The controlled contraction and relaxation of these muscles allows blood vessels to narrow and dilate, raising and lowering blood pressure as needed. Reduced SVEP1 may cause blood vessels to contract too much and at the wrong times, putting stress on the circulatory system. In this grant, the team will investigate exactly how normal SVEP1 works to reduce blood vessel contraction. This will help to reveal how altered SVEP1 contributes to heart disease, and could potentially provide a new therapeutic target for this disease.