Projektbeschreibung
Kann Vitamin K Arteriosklerose verhindern?
Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen gehen mit der Bildung von atherosklerotischen Plaques an den Wänden von Gefäßen einher, die reißen und schwere Komplikationen bis hin zum Tod verursachen können. Neue Erkenntnisse deuten auf ein höheres Risiko für Herzinfarkte und Schlaganfälle bei Personen mit Plaques hin, die Kalkablagerungen (Mikroverkalkungen) aufweisen. Im Rahmen des innerhalb der Marie-Skłodowska-Curie-Maßnahmen finanzierten Projekts INTRICARE soll untersucht werden, wodurch Mikroverkalkung verursacht wird und wie sie sich auf die Stabilität der Plaque auswirkt. Da die derzeitigen Behandlungs- und Präventionsmethoden unzureichend sind, schlägt das Konsortium eine Supplementierung mit Vitamin K als Strategie zur Verhinderung oder Verbesserung der Bildung anfälliger Plaques vor.
Ziel
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the major challenges of contemporary society, being responsible for a staggering 47% of deaths in Europe. Vascular calcification in particular requires immediate attention as it is strongly associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, and is recognised as an important independent risk factor for cardiovascular death. Recent reports demonstrate that especially punctuated and spotty calcifications (microcalcifications) in the plaque are life-threatening. Microcalcifications are particularly prominent in the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque that is at high risk of rupture, a cardinal event that can cause thrombosis, infarct, cardiac arrest, stroke and death. In fact, 20% of European deaths are directly attributable to thrombotic rupture of a vulnerable plaque; a clear indication that current treatments and preventive measures are insufficient. Recent findings suggest a link between vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype mediated calcification and inflammation, which could underlie the plaque destabilising effects of microcalcification. However, a comprehensive view on what causes microcalcification and its impact on plaque stability remains elusive and there is an urgent need to translate experimental findings into adequate diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic solutions. INTRICARE is shaped to address the urgent unmet medical needs concerning calcification-induced vulnerable plaques and is guided by the academic and industrial demand for a new generation of entrepreneurial scientists that have the skills, expertise and knowhow to expedite our understanding of vascular calcification and translation thereof into concrete, effective clinical solutions. The INTRICARE ESRs harbour ongoing vitamin K-supplementation trials that will be pivotal in the identification of selective biomarkers for microcalcification and subsequent development of strategies for prevention or amelioration of vulnerable plaque formation.
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MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)Koordinator
6200 MD Maastricht
Niederlande