The Arterylastic project aims to restore the function and mechanical properties of blood vessels using an original synthetic elastic protein developed and patented previously by the Laboratory of Tissue Biology and Therapeutic Engineering (Lyon). In the long-run, this tool would provide a therapeutic solution to the loss of elasticity and its consequences on vascular function observed either in genetic diseases related to a defect in elastogenesis, including Williams-Beuren syndrome, aortic stenosis supravalvular and laxa cutis; or in more represented pathologies such as sleep apnea syndrome which will also be widely studied in this project.
(Figure : Arterial elastic blades seen under a fluorescence microscope)
Launched on January 1, 2019, this interdisciplinary project brings together 3 academic laboratories from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region :
- Laboratory of Tissue Biology and Therapeutic Engineering (LBTI) – (UMR5305 CNRS / UCBL), Lyon
- Laboratory Hypoxia and Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiopathologies (HP2) – (U1042 INSERM), Grenoble
- Laboratory Health Engineering Biology Saint-Etienne (SAINBIOSE)- (U1059 INSERM), Saint-Etienne
With a duration of 3 years, Aterylastic represents a total investment of 1.4 M€, of which 600 K€ granted by the National Agency of Research under the generic call for projects 2018.
