Researchers from the University of Bristol have revealed a new disease-driving mechanism that could help treat the development of atherosclerosis.
The new therapeutic, IMSET, is being developed by researchers at the Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences (THS) and is being supported by funding through beLAB1407, one of Evotec’s global portfolio of BRIDGE partnerships.
Affecting 42% of adults without heart disease, atherosclerosis is characterised by the build up of atherosclerotic plaques (fatty deposits) in the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes and peripheral arterial disease.
When investigating how immune cells in the blood contribute to the creation of atherosclerotic plaques within the arteries, researchers found that these cells could exist in different forms, with particular types driving the development of the plaques.
The discovery allowed researchers to identify a certain genetic target, known as IMSET, “which is a central regulator of their behaviour… [which] will allow us to develop a therapeutic to target this novel non-coding RNA and validate its use in patients with heart disease,” explained Jason Johnson, professor of cardiovascular pathology, Bristol Medical School: THS.
Anticipated to help patients who have survived a heart attack or stroke, researchers aim to develop the new treatment with beLAB1407 to reduce one of the key factors in cardiovascular diseases.
Affecting more than seven million people in the UK, cardiovascular diseases include conditions that affect the heart or circulation, such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and vascular dementia.
Previously, in May, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) awarded a total of £35m in funding to nine universities across the UK, including Imperial College London, King’s College London, the University of Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Oxford and University College London, to strengthen cardiovascular disease research.
For the next five years, the funding provided through BHF’s Research Excellence Awards scheme will support research environments that encourage collaboration, inclusion and innovation to accelerate lifesaving breakthroughs.

https://www.bristol.ac.uk/neuroscience/news/2024/artheroschlerosis.html