Basic mechanisms in mural cell activation in atherosclerotic lesions
Principal investigator; Rauch, Uwe, Associate Professor, PhD
Clinical speciality: Clinical chemistry
Phone: ++46462224985
Co-workers:
Atherosclerosis can be characterized as a chronic inflammatory disease with an immunological response elicited by oxidized lipoproteins and extracellular matrix components, which accumulate in the intimal layer of arteries, which is supported by the recent observation of auto-antibodies against oxidatively-modified and native extracellular matrix components of the vascular wall in human plasma samples of patients with atherosclerotic lesions.
Aim of the studies is to elucidate molecular mechanisms, which aid in the progression of atherosclerosis, by analysis of the presence of extracellular matrix components and carbohydrate structures in arteries with atherosclerosis-like lesions in specimens of atherosclerotic tissue, and their association with activated mural and inflammatory cells.
Decent responses of mural cells and the immune system to injuries to the vascular wall is required to maintain the vasculature and the surrounding perivascular tissue functional. Behavior and properties of these cells depend on the extracellular environment, which they themselves are able to create, and which is therefore a potential target to manipulate the disease development.
5 recent original publications
Rauch U, Saxena A, Lorkowski S, Rauterberg J, Björkbacka H, Durbeej-Hjalt M, Hultgardh-Nilsson A.
Laminin isoforms in atherosclerotic arteries from mice and man.
Histology & Histopathology. 2009; 5: 4331 - 4337
Wu, C., U. Rauch, E. Korpos, J. Song, K. Loser, P.R. Crocker, and L. M. Sorokin
Sialoadhesin-positive macrophages bind regulatory T cells, negatively controlling their expansion and autoimmune disease progression.
J. Immunol.. 2009; 182: 6508-16
Kappler J., S. L. Baader, O. Hegener, S. Franken, V. Gieselmann, H. Häberlein, and U. Rauch.
Transport of a hyaluronan-binding protein in brain tissue.
Matrix Biology. 2009; 28: 396-405
Dours-Zimmermann MT, Maurer K, Rauch U, Stoffel W, Fässler R, Zimmermann DR.
Versican V2 assembles the extracellular matrix surrounding the nodes of ranvier in the CNS.
J Neurosci.. 2009; 29: 7731-42
Bekku Y, Rauch U, Ninomiya Y, Oohashi T
Brevican distinctively assembles extracellular components at the large diameter nodes of Ranvier in the CNS.
J Neurochem.. 2009; 108: 1266-76
Further publications here (new window)
Financing/year
| Total financing: | MSEK | Gov grant for clinical research ("ALF"): | MSEK | |
| Total external financing: | MSEK | Natl and intl prioritized grants: | MSEK |