Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Blood vessels formation or angiogenesis is complex process that requires coordination of different cell types and involves various cellular processes such as activation, proliferation, migration, and differentiation. The PI 3-kinase catalytic isoform p110 beta is important in signaling molecule that has multiple activities inside the cell. We demonstrate that the inhibition of p110b activity in endothelial cells has an adverse effect on new blood vessels formation in vitro. The loss of p110 beta reduced sprouting of tip cells, which are the cells that lead the sprouts that eventually develop into new blood vessel. The loss of p110 beta reduced capillary-like structures in vivo using matrigel plugs injected under the mouse skin. The deletion of p110 beta in mouse rendered the mouse more susceptible to kidney injury in a kidney injury animal model as the injured kidney small blood vessels failed to get repaired. This research project advances our knowledge of an important physiological process, which can help devise new strategies in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and the regeneration of small blood vessels