Investigating how to reduce thickening of vein grafts

Translational potential of N-cadherin peptide mimics for reducing intimal thickening

Professor Sarah George and colleagues from the University of Bristol have been awarded a 3-year grant to determine how to reduce the thickening of vein grafts by using a certain type of protein in the graft. Bypass graft procedures are performed as a treatment for coronary heart disease. In the bypass procedure surgeons take a blood vessel, usually a vein, from another part of the body and use it to bypass a blockage in the coronary artery. But up to half of these grafts fail after ten years. This is caused by thickening of the vein graft as a result of cell overgrowth. Graft thickening can slow down and even block the blood flow that the graft was intended to restore. Professor George’s research suggests that a small part of a protein, a peptide called N-cadherin, may reduce cell overgrowth in the vein graft. If the peptide reduces cell overgrowth without damaging the vessel wall, it would be an excellent treatment to prevent vein graft thickening. This research could consequently improve the long term benefits of vein grafts used to treat coronary heart disease.