Grant: Operating Grant

Different kinds of heart diseases are the leading cause of death in developed countries. Among them, vascular disease is the most important manifestation resulting from extensive inflammation and fibrosis due to blood vessel injury. Cell self-renewal is an integration of growth control. It is important to maintain organ integrity and functions. We are interested in studying regulation of tissue regeneration and blood vessel formation by microRNAs. MicroRNAs are a group of newly discovered tiniest genetic materials. MicroRNA is known to play important roles in physiological and pathological conditions, including heart disease-associated formation of new blood vessels. We will study the role of a microRNA named miR-17-3p in regulation of the expression of a number of proteins associated with tissue regeneration and blood formation. We will develop an anti-sense construct (to combat against miR-17-3p) and to promote new blood vessel formation for the recovery of heart diseases. With such an approach, it is possible to inhibit the function of a particular microRNA by producing an anti-sense construct against that microRNA. Since chemically synthesized RNAs are unstable and it always produces off-target results (side-effect), body-expressed microRNAs are under strict control of the body system and can exert normal physiological functions. Fulfillments of the proposed experiments will provide new information in understanding the regulatory roles of miR-17-3p in factors associated with blood vessel formation and wound repair. This could lead to the development of a new method to treat vascular diseases, which could increase the chance of survival and recovery in patients with myocardial ischemia, cerebral ischemia myocardial infarction and stroke.