Preventing stroke damage by mimicking the body’s own anti-clot drugs

The VWF/ADAMTS13 axis as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of thrombo-inflammation in stroke

Stroke is a devastating condition which occurs when blood supply to the brain is limited. It can occur when a clot blocks the brains blood supply and is made worse by inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain. Von Willebrand Factor (vWF) is a molecule that is important for the formation of blood clots. It is essential for wound healing. We now know that vWF is also partly responsible for the inflammation in the brain following a stroke. To prevent unnecessary blood clots, the body uses a molecule called ADAMTS13 to control levels of vWF. Dr Stuart Allan and his team believe that ADAMTS13 may help reduce the brain damage that occurs after someone has a stroke. Dr Allan has designed new forms of ADAMTS13 that are five times better at cleaving vWF than the body’s own version. These will be tested in artificial blood vessels that mimic blood flow through arteries to see if they can prevent clots. He will also study whether these new forms of ADAMTS13 can protect against damage in the brains of mice following a stroke. If these versions of ADAMTS13 prove to be effective in mice, they will be taken across to larger studies and eventually to people. Ultimately, the researchers hope that the versions of ADAMTS13 could be used to protect against brain damage in people who have had strokes.