Objective The contribution of cardiovascular disease to human morbidity and mortality continues to steadily increase in our aging European society. In response, extraordinary efforts have been launched to determine the molecular and pathophysiological characteristics of its etiology. The collective work of multiple research groups has uncovered a complex transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory milieu, which is believed to be essential for maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. Recently, non-coding RNAs, especially the ones with antisense capabilities such as microRNAs or ‘natural antisense transcripts’ (NATs) have received much attention. They have been identified as important transcriptional and post-transcriptional inhibitors of gene expression. This current proposal describes the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to limit the burden of cardiovascular disease in general, and abdominal aortic aneurysms as well as carotid stenosis and subsequent stroke in particular. Using transcriptomic profiling techniques on human diseased tissue samples, we have identified two NATs (SLFNL-AS1 and NUDT6) as novel crucial regulators of smooth muscle cell survival via targeting CTPS1 and the fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) in the vascular system. We are using disease-relevant experimental in vivo models (rodents and LDLR-/- mini-pigs) to functionally assess how inhibition of these two NATs influences aneurysm progression and atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability. One focus of our studies is to utilize local delivery mechanisms for non-coding RNA modulators, such as drug eluting balloons and stents, to enhance the translational feasibility of our findings. Furthermore, we have access to unique human plasma material from patients with early and advanced forms of aneurysm disease, enabling us to investigate the biomarker value of non-coding RNAs in recognizing patients with acutely ruptured aneurysms, as well as predicting the future risk of rupture. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineangiologyvascular diseasesmedical and health sciencesclinical medicinecardiologycardiovascular diseasesarteriosclerosismedical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologystrokenatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNAmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologyhomeostasis Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-StG-2015 - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2015-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Coordinator KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET Net EU contribution € 1 493 125,00 Address Nobels vag 5 17177 Stockholm Sweden See on map Region Östra Sverige Stockholm Stockholms län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET Sweden Net EU contribution € 1 493 125,00 Address Nobels vag 5 17177 Stockholm See on map Region Östra Sverige Stockholm Stockholms län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 KLINIKUM RECHTS DER ISAR DER TECHNISCHEN UNIVERSITAT MUNCHEN Germany Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Ismaninger strasse 22 81675 Muenchen See on map Region Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
