suPAR in cardiovascular disease
Despite medical advances, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death in New Zealand. read more
Heart failure (HF) remains a leading cause of death and disability in New Zealand, and new treatments are needed.
The natriuretic peptides (NPs) are hormones whose actions alleviate the symptoms of HF and delay its progression. Regulating the activity of the NPs is phosphodiesterase 9 (PDE9), an enzyme that reduces NP signalling and is elevated in HF in association with blunted NP activity.
With increasing evidence indicating PDE9 contributes to HF worsening, we hypothesise that inhibition of the PDE9 enzyme will restore NP efficacy with resultant beneficial effects. Our research aims are to explore PDE9 inhibition as a treatment strategy in HF.
Dr Scott conducted her undergraduate studies at the University of Otago, New Zealand, graduating with a BSc Honours in Biochemistry in 2003. Her Honours Project was The Effect of Cryoprotective Agents and Freezing on the Redox Status of Murine Fibroblasts. She was awarded a CMRF Summer Studentship in 2003 to determine if Npr-1 knockout and wild-type mice differed in heart weight, blood pressure, infarct size and in plasma levels of cardiac hormones following myocardial infarction.
More About Dr Nicola ScottCardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, abnormal heart rhythms, congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, carditis, aortic aneurysms, peripheral artery disease, thromboembolic disease, and venous thrombosis.