Longevity-associated BPIFB4 gene therapy for treatment of ischemic disease
Some people live long healthy lives, whereas others develop ageing related conditions. Professor Paolo Madeddu and his team at the University of Bristol are studying a gene called BPIFB4 that may be important for determining whether people live longer and healthier lives. Professor Madeddu has discovered that giving mice BPIFB4 helps them recover after loss of blood supply in their legs. He believes that BPIFB4 gene therapy could help people keep their heart and circulatory systems younger for longer, and avoid conditions associated with reduced blood supply, such as coronary heart disease and peripheral arterial disease. In this project Professor Madeddu will study two different types of BPIFB4 gene therapy. He has already found that in rats with high blood pressure one of these therapies relaxes blood vessels and reduces blood pressure. The other helps to restore blood supply in muscles by recruiting stem cells that encourage new blood vessels to grow. In this project, he will identify the best doses of BPIFB4 therapy and investigate how it promotes heart and blood vessel repair and protection. This research could reveal new ways to prolong the health of the heart and circulatory system during natural ageing and help people living with poor circulation or blood supply.
Project details
| Grant amount | £236,004 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 August 2015 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/15/54/31559 |
| Status | Complete |
