Proteoglycans and Glycosaminoglycans as Targets for Noninvasive Imaging of Unstable Atherosclerotic Plaques (B02)

• Subject Area: Cardiology, Angiology
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 372486779

Rupture of atherosclerotic plaques leads to life-threatening complications such as ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. Noninvasive methods to identify vulnerable plaques are desirable to improve diagnosis and guide therapies. We identified proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (PG/GAG) as potential targets. We will investigate whether inflammation-related PG/GAG patterns contribute to the accumulation of gadolinium-based contrast agents in atherosclerotic lesions and identify processes that influence the structure of the endothelial glycocalyx enabling the uptake of contrast agents.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1340: In vivo Visualization of Extracellular Matrix Pathology „Matrix in Vision“
• Applicant Institution: shared FU Berlin and HU Berlin through:; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Project Heads: Privatdozentin Dr. Antje Ludwig; Wolfram Christian Poller, Ph.D., from 7/2022 until 4/2024; Privatdozent Dr. Lars-Arne Schaafs, since 5/2024; Professorin Dr. Verena Stangl, until 6/2022