Preventing Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease
Preventing Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease
Case Number: SERI 147
Lead Inventor: Andrius Kazlauskas, Ph.D. , Schepens Eye Research Institute
Category: Diagnostic/Biomarkers, Therapeutics/Methods
Description
Profilin-1 as a marker for diagnosis and prevention of diabetic cardiovascular diseases.
Summary
Atherosclerosis-related events such as myocardial infraction and stroke are two- to four- fold more prevalent in adults with diabetes as compared to those without diabetes. The invention focuses on the protein profilin-1 (pfn) as a mediator in diabetic vascular injury. Pfn levels are increased in the aortic endothelium and within atherosclerotic plaques and pfn knockout mice are protected against plaques onset. Circulating levels of profilin-1 could be used to predict the development of cardiovascular events and inhibition of profilin-1 accumulation would prevent the progression of atherosclerotic diseases.
Applications
Diabetic vascular complications account for the vast majority of mortality occurring in diabetic patients. For at least 20 years, diabetes rates in North America have been increasing substantially affecting more than 20 million people in the United States alone. There is currently no biomarker for the diagnostic of atherosclerosis vascular diseases.
Intellectual Property Status
Patent application filed Feb. 22, 2005
