Although tremendous efforts have been put into prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and its related diseases, plaque rupture followed by myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke, remains the major cause of mortality and morbidity in our aging society worldwide. Antisense Transcripts (NAT) as members of non-coding RNAs, are known to orchestrate gene expression by inhibiting crucial key factors.
Here, we investigate the role of the NAT Nudix Hydrolase 6 (Nudt6) , which has been found to be significantly up-regulated in unstable carotid atherosclerotic plaques and its target Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf2) in atherosclerotic vascular diseases development and progression by modulating it in vivo murine model as well as in vitro study to explore the intracellular signalling up and down stream pathway for epigenetic mechanisms study.
The discovery of the regulation of NUDT6 on vascular smooth muscle proliferation and apoptosis and the rescue effect on atherosclerosis could be used as a potential therapeutic target in atherosclerotic vascular diseases.
The project could be master students actively involved for their degree thesis with both in vitro and and in vivo experimental skills training, as well as scientific research abilities development.