BME researchers identify potential therapeutic target for treating sickle cell disease
Sickle cell disease—a group of inherited red blood cell disorders—affects millions of people throughout the world, including an estimated 100,000 in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control.
New research shows methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2) inhibitors could be a therapeutic target for treating sickle cell disease.
When the research team treated sickle cell mice with MetAP2 inhibitors, they found it increased red blood cell oxygen affinity and improved ex vivo blood flow. Inhibiting MetAP2 is a novel alternate approach to modify hemoglobin S (HbS) and decrease polymerization.
It’s the polymerization of HbS that contributes to sickling of red blood cells and disease pathophysiology.
The study team—which included BME Associate Professor Dave Wood and researchers across the country—published their findings in Blood Advances.