Obstructive vascular disease (OVD) damages artery walls and is the root cause of heart attacks and strokes. The protein FAT1 cadherin is known to be highly expressed by arterial wall smooth muscle cells in animal models of OVD and in damaged human arteries.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has awarded Nicholas E.S. Sibinga, M.D., a four-year, $2.3 million grant to better understand FAT1 cadherin’s role in OVD. Dr. Sibinga and colleagues previously found that FAT1 fragments accumulate within the mitochondria of arterial smooth muscle cells. They believe these fragments may affect gene expression, influence the production of energy, and regulate synthesis of molecules needed for cell growth and other activities. Their new studies may reveal how these FAT1 fragments control these important cellular functions and could lead to interventions for treating or preventing OVD.

Dr. Sibinga is professor of medicine and of developmental and molecular biology at Einstein. (1R01HL163635)