Extracellular RNA, a Potential Drug Target for Alleviating Atherosclerosis, Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Organ Transplantation.

Extracellular RNA, a Potential Drug Target for Alleviating Atherosclerosis, Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Organ Transplantation. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2019 Jan 02;: Authors: Kluever AK, Deindl E Abstract Extracellular RNA (eRNA), composed of mainly rRNA e.g. released upon cell injury, has previously been shown to have three main detrimental functions in the context of cardiovascular disease: (1) to promote tissue edema by activating the VEGF signal transduction cascade, disrupting endothelial tight junctions and increasing intercellular permeability; (2) to induce thrombus formation by activating the contact phase system of intrinsic blood coagulation; and (3) to increase inflammation by stimulating leukocyte adhesion and transmigration and the mobilization of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This review proposes eRNA to be a possible new drug target in cardiovascular disease. The effects of eRNA could potentially be limited by enhancing its degradation through the naturally occurring ribonuclease RNase. In acute settings such as transplantation or ischemia/reperfusion injury after myocardial infarction, this could be achieved by administering RNase intravenously; however, in chronic situations such as atherosclerosis, a new orally administrable chemical compound e.g. blocking the endogenous RNase inhibitor might be developed. In ischemia/reperfusion injury as well as in acute graft rejection, such an intervention would likely reduce e...
Source: Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - Category: Biotechnology Authors: Tags: Curr Pharm Biotechnol Source Type: research