Targeting two proteins to prevent pulmonary hypertension
UIC researchers have identified two therapeutic targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension, an as-yet-incurable disease that can be caused by a parasite laying eggs in the abdomen. The targets represent an opportunity to diagnose, prevent and treat the life-threatening condition. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered two protein targets that could prevent the life-threatening condition known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This disease, which can be caused by a parasite called Schistosoma mansoni laying eggs in the abdomen, afflicts over 1 million people worldwide and currently has no cure.
The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that an imbalance in two proteins - P2X7R and c-IAP2 - is linked to the disease. In mice exposed to Schistosoma mansoni eggs, researchers observed higher levels of P2X7R, a protein that can cause inflammation and cell death, and lower levels of c-IAP2, a protein that prevents cell death.
By blocking P2X7R with a compound called brilliant blue G, they were able to reduce some disease symptoms in the mice, suggesting that targeting this pathway could be a promising therapeutic approach. Lead author Suellen D Arc dos Santos Oliveira, an assistant professor at UIC, hopes to expand the study to include more human samples and emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary team in tackling such a complex disease.
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