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A study of the epigenetic alterations that result in cardiac hypertrophy

ReferenceBBS/E/B/0000S256
Principal Investigator / Supervisor Prof. Llewelyn Roderick
Co-Investigators /
Co-Supervisors
Institution Babraham Institute
DepartmentBabraham Institute Department
Funding typeResearch
Value (£) 79,674
StatusCompleted
TypeInstitute Project
Start date 04/04/2010
End date 03/04/2013
Duration36 months

Abstract

Heart disease is a significant cause of mortality in the developed world. In 2004 it was responsible for 137,700 deaths in the UK, equating to 24% of all deaths. A major predictor of mortality due to heart disease is cardiac hypertrophy (an increase in cell size without increase in cell number), and it is the most important risk factor for heart failure in humans. Hypertrophy can however also be a beneficial adaptive response providing the increased blood supply required during pregnancy and to sustain levels of increased physical activity experienced by athletes. Cardiac hypertrophy is characterised by an increase in the muscle mass/size of the heart due to enlargement of heart cells without any proliferation. This increase in heart size is caused by a significant change in the expression levels of a number of genes (the copying of DNA information into RNA and then oftern into protein). This remodelling of gene expression is controlled by factors (transcription factors) that bind to the DNA as well as by proteins that modify the structure and packaging of DNA. In this study, we plan to investigate the mechanisms that control suppression of gene transcription and whether these differ between the poorly reversible pathological forms of hypertrophy and the more reversible compensated hypertrophy.

Summary

unavailable
Committee Not funded via Committee
Research TopicsX – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research PriorityX – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative X - not in an Initiative
Funding SchemeX – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme
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