A new study published in Nature, led by SRF-funded investigator Ryan Flynn, PhD, sheds light on how the body controls the growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. By uncovering a previously unrecognized regulatory mechanism, the findings may help explain vascular complications seen in diseases such as scleroderma.
The researchers found that certain RNA molecules on the surface of cells help signal when and where new blood vessels should grow. A key protein called VEGF normally tells the body to form new vessels. The team discovered that these surface RNAs, along with nearby proteins, can group together and bind VEGF, slowing down blood vessel growth. When the researchers removed these RNAs, VEGF signals became stronger and more blood vessels formed.
This work may be relevant to scleroderma, where blood vessels are damaged and new vessels fail to form properly despite elevated VEGF levels. The findings suggest a new mechanism that may influence blood vessel repair and point to a promising area for future research and treatment development.
