Previous Research

RAGE Research and Blood Vessel Walls

Many surgical procedures involving blood vessels are complicated by the growth of the inner lining of the vessel (intima expansion), which eventually compromises blood flow. In the case of balloon angioplasty of the coronary arteries, 25 to 50 percent of patients develop expansion of the vessel intima, even with the best current therapies, and then require an additional intervention.

Investigators have been exploring a new approach to this vascular problem and its relevance to a wide range of procedures. After discovering the cell surface receptor, RAGE, which senses the presence of molecules expressed immediately after injury to the vessel wall, researchers performed studies in mice. These experiments revealed that the blockade of RAGE effectively prevents expansion of the intima after arterial injury (analogous to what happens in an angioplasty procedure) by decreasing the local response of the vessel wall. More specifically, migration, proliferation and expression of genes for molecules that accumulate in the vessel wall are suppressed. If experiments with larger animal models are successful, the next step will be a clinical trial.