Investigating p21 protein activated kinase-3 (Pak3) regulation of cardiac autophagy: a target for slowing down heart failure progression?
Heart failure – when the heart cannot pump blood around the body effectively – is a leading cause of death worldwide. Regardless of the initial cause, many changes take place in heart cells during the development of heart failure. Autophagy is the controlled breakdown of proteins and cell parts which are old or not needed anymore. Useful biomolecules are recycled and provide a source of fuel. Proper functioning of autophagy is essential for the maintenance of heart cells and can be part of the heart’s response to disease or damage. Too much or too little autophagy can contribute to the development of heart failure. Dr Wei Liu, a BHF Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, has evidence to suggest that a protein called Pak3 is involved in reducing autophagy in diseased hearts. In this project, Dr Liu and collaborators will study mice hearts and heart cells to investigate the role of Pak3 in autophagy. They will try to find out precisely how this protein reduces autophagy in diseased hearts and so how it contributes to the onset of heart failure. This research could lay groundwork for development of a new effective treatment for heart failure. Notes: involves mice (426).
Project details
| Grant amount | £189,369 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 December 2019 |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Reference | PG/19/66/34600 |
| Status | In Progress |
