Athero-B-Cell

Athero-B-Cell Project aims to overcome the limitations of existing therapeutics by targeting only defined B cell subsets with specific pathogenic or regulatory functions.  An experimental platform that permits the identification and selective targeting of mature B cell type(s) that either promote or prevent atherosclerosis and autoimmunity is lacking.

Athero-B-Cell Project intends to identify differences in B cell effector subsets relevant to atherosclerosis and investigate how these differences can be used to develop new cardiovascular disease (CVD) therapeutics.

Refining therapeutic strategy to address defined subsets of B cells has the potential to avoid risks of immunosuppression.  This will be achieved by combining the multidisciplinary knowledge and expertise of Athero-B-Cell Project Consortium members on B cells in inflammation and atherosclerosis with the data mining and therapeutic targeting platforms of world leading SMEs.

Project objectives

Objective 1: To define targets to reduce activation of pathogenic B cells and antibodies in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Objective 2: To identify enhancers of atheroprotective B regulatory cell populations and antibodies in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Objective 3: To validate molecular and miRNA targets to modulate B cell behavior in Cardiovascular Diseases with innovative locked nucleic acid (LNA) based antisense platforms.