Rahul Kurup (Australia)

Heart Research Institute Coronary Diseases
Dr Rahul Kurup is an academic cardiologist with an interest in systemic and local therapeutic strategies for treating coronary artery disease. His current doctoral research work involves assessing inflammatory pathways in atherosclerosis and the utility of Colchicine, a broad acting anti-inflammatory medication, in treating atherosclerosis.

Author Of 1 Presentation

O072 - Colchicine suppresses atherosclerotic plaque development and modulates atherogenic vascular smooth muscle cell and monocyte behaviour (ID 52)

Session Type
Vascular Biology
Session Time
17:00 - 18:30
Date
Wed, 02.06.2021
Room
Live Streamed
Lecture Time
17:57 - 18:05

Abstract

Background and Aims

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process involving multiple different cells including monocytes and smooth muscle cells. There is accumulating evidence suggesting that colchicine might be beneficial in these patients with atherosclerosis however, its specific mechanism of action on plaque cells remains unclear.

Methods

Apolipoprotein E knockout mice (ApoE-/-) on a high fat diet were treated with daily intraperitoneal injections of Colchicine or PBS for 16 weeks. The aorta was harvested for en face staining, immunostaining, and qPCR analysis. Human Peripheral Blood Monocytes (HPBM) and Human Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells (HCASMC) from healthy donors were treated with Colchicine In Vitro. HPBM were also isolated from Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) patients and treated with Colchicine In Vitro.

Results

Colchicine treated ApoE-/- mice had decreased atherosclerotic plaque burden and lipid content on en face staining of the aorta. There was also a decrease in CD68+ cells within atherosclerotic plaques. Colchicine treated mice also had lower pro-inflammatory transcript levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1. LPS stimulated HPBM that were treated with Colchicine demonstrated a decrease in TNF-α and MCP-1 gene and protein expression. In Vitro treatment of HCASMC with Colchicine demonstrated decreased cholesterol and oxidised LDL (ox-LDL) uptake as well as decreased IL-6 and MCP-1 transcript levels. There was also a reduction in HCASMC proliferation, migration and lipid uptake when cultured in Colchicine treated LPS-stimulated Monocyte secreted media from healthy controls and ACS patients.

Conclusions

Colchicine treatment decreases atherogenesis in a murine model of atherosclerosis and demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects on monocytes and smooth muscle cells.

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Presenter of 1 Presentation

O072 - Colchicine suppresses atherosclerotic plaque development and modulates atherogenic vascular smooth muscle cell and monocyte behaviour (ID 52)

Session Type
Vascular Biology
Session Time
17:00 - 18:30
Date
Wed, 02.06.2021
Room
Live Streamed
Lecture Time
17:57 - 18:05

Abstract

Background and Aims

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process involving multiple different cells including monocytes and smooth muscle cells. There is accumulating evidence suggesting that colchicine might be beneficial in these patients with atherosclerosis however, its specific mechanism of action on plaque cells remains unclear.

Methods

Apolipoprotein E knockout mice (ApoE-/-) on a high fat diet were treated with daily intraperitoneal injections of Colchicine or PBS for 16 weeks. The aorta was harvested for en face staining, immunostaining, and qPCR analysis. Human Peripheral Blood Monocytes (HPBM) and Human Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells (HCASMC) from healthy donors were treated with Colchicine In Vitro. HPBM were also isolated from Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) patients and treated with Colchicine In Vitro.

Results

Colchicine treated ApoE-/- mice had decreased atherosclerotic plaque burden and lipid content on en face staining of the aorta. There was also a decrease in CD68+ cells within atherosclerotic plaques. Colchicine treated mice also had lower pro-inflammatory transcript levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1. LPS stimulated HPBM that were treated with Colchicine demonstrated a decrease in TNF-α and MCP-1 gene and protein expression. In Vitro treatment of HCASMC with Colchicine demonstrated decreased cholesterol and oxidised LDL (ox-LDL) uptake as well as decreased IL-6 and MCP-1 transcript levels. There was also a reduction in HCASMC proliferation, migration and lipid uptake when cultured in Colchicine treated LPS-stimulated Monocyte secreted media from healthy controls and ACS patients.

Conclusions

Colchicine treatment decreases atherogenesis in a murine model of atherosclerosis and demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects on monocytes and smooth muscle cells.

Hide