Proinflammatory reprogramming of platelets in ACS

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Proinflammatory reprogramming of blood platelets in acute coronary syndromes

  • IRAS ID

    219491

  • Contact name

    Khalid Naseem

  • Contact email

    Khalid.Naseem@leeds.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 8 months, 28 days

  • Research summary

    A narrowing or blockage in the blood vessels to the heart may cause symptoms of chest discomfort. When stable, this is called angina. If the narrowing becomes inflamed, a blood clot may form inside the blood vessel leading to a heart attack. Any blockage of blood flow to the heart due to a blood clot is called an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A major part of these blood clots is a small blood cell called a platelet. We use aspirin tablets to treat people with heart problems because aspirin acts on platelets to try to stop them forming blood clots.
    We know that a heart attack occurs because of inflammation. Recently it has been found that platelets help to control inflammation in blood vessels by releasing particular chemicals. These chemicals are created from code (instructions) delivered from genes by a messenger and use proteins found in the cells.
    From our early work we believe that patients with angina and ACS have increased levels of inflammation chemicals in their platelets. We also think that they have higher numbers of codes for these chemicals with changes in cell programming. We would like to look at this in more detail.

    Aims of the project
    To find out if platelets have and produce more inflammation chemicals in patients with heart disease.
    To see if the platelets of patients with heart disease have higher levels of codes for inflammation chemicals.
    To see if the platelets of patients with heart disease are pre-programmed for inflammation.
    We will compare a group of patients admitted with a heart attack, a group of patients with stable angina, and a group who do not have any heart disease.

  • REC name

    Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    17/YH/0020

  • Date of REC Opinion

    14 Feb 2017

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion