Objective
Endothelial dysfunction is believed to be a major step in atherogenesis. Decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability in human vessels may be the result of both increased oxidative deactivation or decreased production by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (e NOS) in human endothelium.
Furthermore, deficiency of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), a cofactor for eNOS, leads to eNOS uncoupling, making vascular endothelium a source of superoxide anions. Evidence suggests that folic acid may improve endothelial function, but the underlying mechanisms of this effect remain obscure. In the present study we aim to investigate the effects of folic acid on human vessels.
The population of the study will be consisted of 120 patients with coronary artery disease undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operation. Twenty patients will be treated for 6 weeks before their CABG with folic acid 5mg/day, 20 with folic acid 400g day and 20 with placebo, while 60 patients will participate in the in vitro part of the study. The experiments will be contacted in human saphenous veins, radial arteries and internal mammary arteries derived from these patients during grafts harvesting.
Particularly, we will examine the effect of chronic treatment with folic acid on endothelial function, superoxide production and multiple gene expression (using micro arrays technology) in human vessels. Furthermore we will examine the acute effect of 5methyltetrahydrofolic acid (5MTHF), the active form of folic acid, on endothelial function, superoxide production and BH4 levels in human vessels in vitro.
Additionally, we will examine the ability of 5MTHF to scavenge superoxide directly, as well as its effect on BH4 levels in endothelial cells cultures. Finally we will investigate the ability of circulating markers of oxidative stress, inflammatory process and endothelial cell injury and activation, to indirectly estimate tissue superoxide production in patients with coronary artery disease.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry electrolysis
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine cardiology cardiovascular diseases arteriosclerosis
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
OXFORD
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.