Grant: Operating Grant

Hypertension, referred to as high blood pressure, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks and heart failure, and it is a leading cause of chronic renal failure. However, only in a small minority of patients with high blood pressure can a specific cause be identified. Certain proteins that control the contraction of smooth muscle cells in the cardio-vascular system are thought to contribute to hypertension. We are investigating the role of a newly discovered protein (smoothelin-like 1, SMTNL1) in generating contractile tension in vascular smooth muscle cells. Recently, deletion of the SMTNL1 protein in animal models was found to produce a cardiovascular condition similar to that achieved with endurance-exercise training. So the SMTNL1 protein may make smooth muscle cells more contractile, leading to cardio-vascular dysfunction and contributing to morbidity and mortality. The work is expected to generate additional information about new therapeutic targets that could be of clinical significance in controlling hypertension. This will help in designing strategies to maintain proper blood pressure during healthy and diseased conditions.