Characterisation Of An In-vivo Thrombosis Animal Model Of The Antiphospholipid Syndrome Using Beta 2-GPI KO Mice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$467,310.00
Summary
The antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune condition characterised by the presence of thrombosis and recurrent miscarriage. The disorder is characterised by circulating antibodies which bind a protein in the blood known as Beta 2- Glycoprotein I. This protein has been thought to be important in controlling the clotting system in humans and other mammals. However, the experiments that have been designed to look at the function of this protein have looked at its function in the test tube. The ....The antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune condition characterised by the presence of thrombosis and recurrent miscarriage. The disorder is characterised by circulating antibodies which bind a protein in the blood known as Beta 2- Glycoprotein I. This protein has been thought to be important in controlling the clotting system in humans and other mammals. However, the experiments that have been designed to look at the function of this protein have looked at its function in the test tube. The exact role of Beta 2-GPI in the body, has not been determined. A way of looking at the function of this protein in the body would be if you eliminated the protein from an animal such as a mouse. By sophisticated molecular biology techniques we have been able to eliminate the gene for Beta 2-GPI in mice thus deriving mice that do not produce any Beta 2-GPI protein. These mice are called Beta 2-GPI knockout mice and are an ideal animal model to examine the function of Beta 2-GPI. Experiments outlined in this proposal will examine the role of Beta 2-GPI in clotting, atherosclerosis and the effect of production of antibodies to Beta 2-GPI in these animals. In addition, since current treatment of patients that have these antibodies consists of long term, sometimes lifelong, treatment with drugs that thin the blood which have potential side effects, we are investigating a novel treatment approach which is directed at eliminating the antibodies that bind Beta 2-GPI. If one could eliminate the antibody production to Beta 2-GPI by these patients there would not be a need for lifelong treatment with drugs such as heparin which thins the blood and there would thus be a reduction in the problems with these medications. To do this we have obtained a specialised chemically modified portion of Beta 2-GPI that has already been shown to work in preliminary experiments.Read moreRead less
Pathophysiological Mechanisms In The Antiphospholipid Syndrome: B2GPI Regulation Of FXI-FXIa
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$530,591.00
Summary
The major protein that the antibodies in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) bind is called Beta 2-GPI. Antibodies to Beta 2-GPI are associated with recurrent miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation, clots and stroke. Treatment of patients with the APS are treated with medication that has significant side effects. The development of more targeted and effective therapies for the APS requires a greater understanding of how the antibodies cause their effects, which is addressed in this study.