Skip to content
Home page - Centenary Institute Centenary Institute

Primary menu

  • Research
        • Research

          The latest medical research into our most complex health challenges across biomedical AI, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, immunity, age-related, rare and infectious diseases.

          Learn more

        • Biomedical AI
        • Cancer Innovations
        • Cardiovascular Research
        • Healthy Ageing
        • Infection & Immunity
        • Inflammation
        • Rare Diseases & Gene Therapy
        • Laboratories
        • Diseases
        • Expertises
        • Breakthroughs
        • Technologies
          • Clinical Translation
  • Support us
        • Support us

          By supporting the Centenary Institute you can help improve human health through excellence in medical research

          Learn more

        • Workplace giving
        • Host or join a fundraiser
        • Gift in your Will
        • Donate in Memory
        • Community and research
  • Careers & students
        • Careers & Students

          Postdoctoral and postgraduate students can work alongside world-leading medical researchers within state-of-the-art research facilities.

        • Career Opportunities
        • Student Opportunities
  • Health hub
        • Health hub

          A range of practical information to assist in the possible preventions to disease through evidence-based research on how the body works.

          Learn more

        • Inflammation
        • The Good Gut Anti-Inflammatory Diet
          • Healthy Recipes
        • Ageing
        • Exercise Snack Program
  • News & events
        • News & Events

          Explore the latest research breakthroughs and ways you can take part in our series of digital and in-person events

        • News
        • Events
        • Media Hub
          • Statements
        • Real stories
  • About us
        • About us

          We are world-leading independent medical research institute that drives collaboration to accelerate and translate solutions to our most complex health challenges

          Learn more

        • Governance
        • Corporate information
        • Annual reports
        • Our researchers
          • Animals in research
        • Contact
  • Donate
    Centenary Institute > News > Key mechanism identified for reducing chronic inflammation in cardiovascular diseases

Key mechanism identified for reducing chronic inflammation in cardiovascular diseases

Date time 13 April, 2023
News Type News type Media release
Dr Joyce Chiu
Dr Joyce Chiu
A breakthrough discovery in understanding how white blood cells move in the body could pave the way for new treatments for chronic inflammation-related diseases including cardiovascular diseases, according to a recent study from the Centenary Institute.

Published in the prestigious journal Circulation Research, the study investigated the movement of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that is an essential part of the immune system.

Neutrophils, the first responders when there’s an injury or infection, move from blood vessels to the site of injury and initiate inflammation and healing. However, prolonged retention of neutrophils, such as at the site of vascular injury, can result in chronic inflammation and a build-up of atherosclerotic plaques that can lead to strokes and heart attacks.

Dr Joyce Chiu, lead author of the study, from the ACRF Centenary Cancer Research Centre, said that the team had uncovered the method by which neutrophils unstick from blood vessels as they move towards the site of injury. This mechanism, she said, could be potentially harnessed to reduce chronic inflammation by preventing the movement of neutrophils to certain areas of the body.

“Molecules known as integrins help neutrophils stick to the walls of blood vessels, to prevent the cells from being carried away by blood flow. To move to the site of injury, neutrophils must stick and unstick from blood vessel walls. While we knew how integrins helped neutrophils stick, we did not know how they unstick,” said Dr Chiu.

According to Dr Chiu, the study discovered that a molecule called protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), secreted by neutrophils, plays a crucial role in helping the cells unstick from blood vessels as they move towards the site of injury.

Dr Chiu believes that this finding suggests that PDI could be a target for new drugs to treat chronic inflammation in diseases including cardiovascular diseases.

“New drugs can be designed to inhibit PDI, to keep neutrophils from ‘unsticking’ and migrating from blood vessel walls. Preventing neutrophils from moving around can help prevent chronic inflammation by reducing their ability to accumulate at sites of injury or infection,” Dr Chiu said.

“Our research could pave the way for new treatments and management strategies that are able to limit the extent of inflammation, and potentially improve outcomes for individuals with chronic inflammatory and cardiovascular conditions.”

Themes

  • Cardiovascular Research

    Cardiovascular Research
  • Inflammation

    Inflammation

Media enquires

For all media and interview enquiries, please contact Tony Crawshaw

Phone number Phone Number +61 402 770 403

Email Email t.crawshaw@centenary.org.au

Media Release

Key mechanism identified for reducing chronic inflammation in cardiovascular diseases

Download

Recent Stories

  • New platform to evolve proteins for better therapies

    Researchers from the Centenary Institute, in collaboration with the University of Sydney, have developed a powerful new tool to evolve proteins directly within mammalian cells, offering a more effective way to design medical treatments tailored to the human body.
    News Type: Media release
    Date 08 May 2025
  • Turning off protein may help prevent liver cancer

    New research from the Centenary Institute has found that switching off a specific protein in liver cells may help prevent the early development of liver cancer.
    News Type: Media release
    Date 16 Apr 2025
  • Event shines spotlight on genetic heart disease in young people

    The Centenary Institute has hosted a community event, titled ‘A Needle in a Haystack: Unlocking the Secrets of Genetic Heart Conditions’. The event aimed to advance understanding of inherited heart disease and sudden cardiac death in young people.
    News Type: Community
    Date 10 Apr 2025
  • Finding answers for sudden cardiac death in young people

    Each week in Australia, up to three young people die suddenly and unexpectedly from sudden cardiac death, often due to an undiagnosed genetic heart condition. These conditions typically go unnoticed until tragedy strikes, leaving families devastated and searching for answers.
    News Type: Media release
    Date 02 Apr 2025

Subscribe to receive news on
research updates and free events

Newsletter

The Centenary Institute is a world-leading independent Medical Research Institute.

We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Centenary Institute stands.

About

  • About
  • Governance
  • Corporate information

Research

  • Our researchers
  • News
  • Media hub

Careers & studies

  • Career opportunities
  • Life at Centenary

Links

  • Contact
  • Privacy statement

Contact us

Building 93, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Rd
Camperdown NSW 2050 Australia
Telephone +61 2 9565 6100
Fax +61 2 9565 6101

Contact Privacy

Centenary Institute ABN 22 654 201 090 (DGR 1) • Centenary Institute Medical Research Foundation ABN 85 778 244 012 (DGR 2)
© 2017 Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology.

  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram