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Human
Disease
Articles
Labcoats
at Work
Getting Real About Getting into Science
Let
the Blood Flow Free
Michal Pellach
ROGER FAHMY, a scientist at the Centre for Vascular Research based in
the University of New South Wales, is currently involved in the research
area of cell proliferation (spreading or growth that occurs from multiplication
of cells). This includes proliferation that causes deterioration in conditions
following treatment for atherosclerosis (a disease that causes the narrowing
of the arteries), as well as research in prevention of tumour growth by
targeting angiogenesis (formation of blood vessels from pre-existing ones).
It was hypothesised about thirty years ago that tumour growth could be prevented by obstruction of angiogenesis, thus blocking the blood supply and preventing nutrients and oxygen from reaching the tumour. This in turn inhibits tumour formation or prevents its growth. More evidence is needed to support this hypothesis, though Roger has shown that a gene known as Egr-1 plays a key regulatory role in tumour angiogenesis, and the process angiogenesis is hindered when Egr-1 is targeted.
First thing in the morning at the Centre for Vascular Research, mice are injected with tumours of human breast cancer cells, where the sizes of these cells are monitored regularly. A gene-targeting molecule is injected together with the tumour. These mice, having been carefully ear-tagged for identification, have their weights recorded every day.
Roger uses a breed of mice that do not have a thymus (an organ of the immune system), and therefore, they do not produce antibodies that fight against invasion of foreign elements. This enables the research to take place without the interference of the immune system. A side effect of having been bred without a thymus is their hairless state; hence these mice have been nicknamed “nude mice”.
In addition to research on tumours, Roger is looking at the Egr-1 gene to investigate ways to open clogged and collapsed arteries. A common treatment for atherosclerosis includes the use of a stent, deployed into the blocked blood vessel. A stent is a wire mesh tube designed to prop open an artery that has been dilated by a coronary artery balloon. The stent is used as a scaffold to hold the artery open. A problem with the stent procedure is re-narrowing of the vessel known as “restonosis”. Due to mechanical injury to the vessel wall, Egr-1 is turned on in smooth muscle cells, where the wall has been damaged. This causes cell proliferation, which eventually re-blocks the blood vessel, reversing the effect of the stent.
Roger’s studies, in an effort to prevent restenosis, are performed experimentally “in vivo” (animal experiments) and “in vitro” (tissue culture, or growth of cells outside the body). Roger also freezes some cells for long-term storage of stocks.
His experiments are helping to find an alternative to a drug already used to cover stents by finding the cause of the closure problem. The new approach aims to reduce proliferation of cells surrounding the stent by restricting or deregulating the gene expression of the Egr-1 protein.
Roger is
in the process of refining his current research and findings for publication
in a medical journal, allowing the international community to appreciate
the importance of his work. He has made important steps in studies of
cell proliferation, including advances in the vast area of cancer research.
Not only does he share findings with his colleagues, he is also kind enough
to share them with us.
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