Targetting the NADPHoxidase source of reactive oxygen species in vascular disease

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/300013

Funding Status
Closed

Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the .

Funded Activity Summary

In Australia, coronary heart disease (CHD) leading to heart attacks or strokes is the largest cause of death, claiming a staggering 28,000 lives a year. Oxidative stress, resulting from increased production of oxygen free radicals in arteries, appears to be an important cause of CHD, heart attacks and strokes. We seek to understand how such oxyradicals are produced in the cells that make up the artery wall. Using novel DNA-type molecules we have recently discovered that a protein called Nox4 is crucial for the production of oxygen free radicals by blood vessels. Furthermore, we have identified a class of drugs that selectively block the activity of Nox4 in blood vessels. We now wish to directly test whether inhibiting Nox4, either with DNA-type molecules, various drugs known to block Nox4, or by complete elimination of the Nox4 gene in mice, prevents the development of CHD in animal models. This work will not only advance our understanding of the origin of vascular oxidative damage but will also allow us to identify novel therapeutic targets in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases that are associated with increased oxidative stress. The same drugs and molecules might also prove useful for improving recovery from heart attacks and strokes, for Nox4 may be turned on in the heart and brain in these conditions. Information obtained in our study will be useful in directing future prescription practices in clinical management of CHD and stroke, and for designing new therapeutic compounds for CHD.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2004

End Date: 01-01-2006

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $552,250.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Nutrigenomics and personalised nutrition

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Nox genes | atherosclerosis | cardiovascular disease | coronary artery disease | ischaemic heart disease | restenosis | stroke | superoxide | vascular biology

Related Links