PKCα: a potential new target to prevent artery calcification

PKCα: A potential new therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease

Vascular calcification occurs when bone-like deposits build-up in the arteries, causing them to stiffen and narrow. This is a common complication of people with atherosclerosis or kidney disease and can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke. Current treatments have limited success in preventing calcification and new approaches are urgently needed. Professor Keith Brennan and his team have found a molecule, called PKCalpha, might play a role in the calcification process. They’ve shown that calcification is increased in mice with atherosclerosis that lack PKCalpha. In this project, they want to test whether the loss of PKCalpha has similar effects on calcification in mice with chronic kidney disease. This could identify the therapeutic potential of boosting PKCalpha activity to fight vascular calcification associated with atherosclerosis and chronic kidney disease.