Cardiovascular Disease Antibodies

Cardiovascular disease is an abnormal function of the heart and/or blood vessels. It is a category of disease that includes coronary heart disease (heart attacks), cerebrovascular disease (stroke), blood pressure problems, peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, and heart failure. Heart disease is the leading cause of human deaths across the world. There are many forms of heart disease and many can be prevented by healthy lifestyle choices. Other causes include atherosclerosis (buildup of fatty plaques in arteries), heart defects, and microorganisms. Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot continue to supply the necessary oxygenated blood to the body. Heart attacks occur when coronary arteries build up with blood clots which completely or partially block the blood flow. A stroke occurs when arteries in the brain are narrowed or blocked by a clot or plaque. Aneurysms occur in other parts of the body, apart from the brain and heart, and are also due to blocked blood flow. Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, occurs when the extremities (legs, hands, etc) do not get enough blood flow. Sudden cardiac arrest also occurs and is somewhat unexpected. Tests for diagnostics include bloodwork, chest X-rays, electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, certain types of scans, and even heart biopsy. Lifestyle changes, including eating a healthy diet, refraining from drinking and smoking, and getting plenty of exercise, have shown to reverse of treat certain types of heart disease. Other treatment options include prescription medication and surgery.

The anti-Jagged1 antibody binds against a ligand for multiple Notch receptors. Jagged1 is widely expressed in a variety of tissues in the cellular membrane. Jagged1 functions in the formation of blood cells and mammalian cardiovascular development. Defects in JAG1 cause Alagille syndrome type 1 and tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Alagille syndrome is a genetic disorder of the liver, heart, kidney, and other systems. It is characterized by hepatic bile duct paucity, or a reduction in the amount of bile ducts and cholestasis (inability for bile to flow from the liver to the duodenum). Alagille syndrome is a form of arteriohepatic dysplasia which involves multisystem defects characterized by chronic cholestasis due to paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts, peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis, and dysplastic kidneys. Alagille syndrome is inherited by an autosomal dominant fashion. Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect that is present at birth. Tetralogy of Fallot is characterized by low blood oxygenation with or without cyanosis or blue tinged skin. Anti-LMO2 antibody binds against an antigen that acts with TAL1/SCL in order to regulate blood cell development. LMO2 also acts with LDB1 to maintain erythroid precursors in an immature state. LMO2 is localized in the nucleus of cells. A chromosomal error involving the gene coding for LMO2 is thought to be a cause of a certain type of T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia is an aggressive neoplasm classified by more than 30% lymphoblasts in blood and bone marrow. Adolescents are more commonly affected than younger children and this disease is more common in boys than girls. Prognosis of those affected with T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia is typically poorer than other forms of leukemia due to the higher concentration of lymphoblasts in the bone marrow and blood as well as the types of cells involved.