Grant for a major study

The researches of the Scientific Research Institute for Complex Issues of Cardiovascular Diseases won a grant from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research

The project under leadership of Anton Kutikhin, M.D., Ph.D., Head of the Laboratory of Fundamental Aspects of Atherosclerosis, got a high scientific assessment from the experts of the Foundation and a financial support in the amount of 3 million rubles for 2019-2021.

The research project – “The study of interactions between endothelial cells of coronary and internal thoracic arteries for pathogenic rationale of the efficiency of autoarterial conduits for coronary artery bypass grafting.”

During coronary artery bypass grafting a surgeon restores the adequate blood circulation; with the result that cardiac muscle begins to get sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Therefore, the choice of the shunt is a key point in cardiac surgery. The parts of subjects’ arteries and veins are taken as shunts. Mostly, a great saphenous vein is used nowadays, but the choice of autoarterial graft (for example, an internal thoracic artery) guarantees a more favourable prognosis for a patient in the long-term postoperative period.

The scientists of the NII KPSSZ have set themselves a task of providing a fundamental rationale for the use of autoarterial conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting.

“In this case, we move from practice to the theory, and the idea of this research couldn’t be formulated without cardiac surgeons,” says Anton Kutikhin, the head of the grant project. “Nowadays, autovenous conduits are more often used in clinical practice, since it’s widespread and also technically easier. At the same time, a higher efficiency of autoarterial conduits use in coronary artery bypass grafting has been proved for quite a long time ago. Going forward, it will allow to improve a homeostasis of “conduit-artery” system and the survival rate of the shunt and also to avoid the recurrent angina, which ensures a higher quality of life for a patient and reduces a risk of reoperation. Therefore, our global task is to provide a theoretical basis, justified from the point of view of cell biology and pathophysiology, in order to this method to get a higher recognition in cardiovascular surgery.”

During the first year, human primary endothelial cells cultures, culture media and specialized cameras for their cultivation, antibodies and other reagents for the necessary experiments will be acquired at the grant’s expenses. The staff members of the Laboratory of Fundamental Aspects of Atherosclerosis will find out if the interactions between the endothelial cells of coronary artery and internal thoracic artery are superior in efficiency to those of the endothelial cells of coronary artery and great saphenous vein and if so, what are the molecular mechanisms of this synergy.