Professor Hester den Ruijter and Assistant Professor Ernest Diez Benavente were awarded an ERC Proof of Concept grant today. This is a follow-up grant to a previous ERC grant (UCARE project) to further develop innovation from that project. The research focuses on sex differences in which the development of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) is central. Using this grant, worth €150,000, they will research an advanced method to improve the diagnosis of atherosclerosis and CAD in women.
In 2021, there were an estimated 790,000 people in the Netherlands with coronary artery disease (CAD). This is a disease of the heart that results from narrowing of the (coronary) arteries and can lead to various disease states, such as myocardial infarction or heart failure. This diagnosis is important since ischemic heart disease, in which organs and tissues lack oxygen, accounts for 45 percent of deaths in women and 39 percent in men in the EU. Yet the diagnosis of CAD in women is regularly recognized too late. Says Hester, “This is because much research and diagnosis is based on studies with men. With this previous grant from the ERC, we have shown in recent years that other mechanisms play a role in women, and based on those findings we want to develop a new blood test.”
Coronary artery disease is a result of atherosclerosis, in which a narrowing occurs in the blood vessels. This narrowing is caused by a process in which fats accumulate on the blood vessel wall. Ernest explains, “So-called plaques form, which narrow or even block the blood vessel. The oxygen supply is reduced or even cut off which can cause dangerous situations such as stroke or heart attack.” Hester’s research group has identified clear gender differences in the formation of these plaques and their genetic regulation. Ernest: “We want to turn that knowledge into a test that can eventually be used in patients. It is important to detect the diagnosis of these heart problems earlier in women.”
Their research has now revealed a number of biomarkers that can detect the presence of these plaques and indicate the likelihood of developing CAD. Biomarkers are measurable substances in the blood that can give an indication of a disease. Ernest: “When someone has a lot of plaques, we can find out by measuring the plaque-specific biomarkers using DNA sequencing technology.” This method is expensive and time-consuming, making it unworkable for daily practice. Hester: “We therefore need to look at which method gives the same information without having to examine the entire DNA.”
Ernest indicates that they have already started the research and that this ERC Proof of Concept grant can support them further in it. Ernest: “We already have an indication that plaque-specific biomarkers can be measured by means of a PCR assay.” This means that plaque-specific signals can be detected from a small blood sample in an affordable way. If this PCR method proves to work well, it could eventually be used in a screening test that doctors use to diagnose CAD. Patients found to be at increased risk for plaques can then be highlighted and investigated further. The goal is to develop a prototype that is validated and attuned to practice and can eventually be developed into a product. Hester: “For women, but also for men, such a product can make a big difference. It is important that the diagnosis can be made better and in time, that way a lot of damage to the heart can be prevented.”
