Research Projects

Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a cellular pathological process that occurs during embryonic development and is linked to diseases like endothelial dysfunction (ED) and atherosclerosis. The increase in oxidized-low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) levels during metabolic disorders creates an oxidative microenvironment in the vasculature, affecting endothelial cells (ECs) function and homeostasis. Exposure to oxLDL leads to decreased Erk5 expression, downregulation of endothelial cell marker genes, and increased expression of inflammatory markers. These alterations can compromise EC homeostasis and promote ED. However, the mechanism of epigenetic modifications enabled during EndMT and its impact on key EC and mesenchymal marker genes is unknown. The study proposes investigating how oxLDL-rich environments enable EZH2 mediated epigenetic modifications in Erk5 gene expression and promote EndMT during metabolic stress conditions. The aim is to identify and validate EZH2 histone methylase as a novel therapeutic target for preventing and treating atherosclerosis in metabolically predisposed individuals. The study aims to unravel the crosstalk between Erk5 and EZH2, identifying a novel target for the prevention and therapy of metabolic stress-induced atherosclerosis.