Collaborative study provides new insights on Cyclosporin A links to vascular dysfunction

Advanced biotech and biomedicine cellular specialist Evercyte has co-authored a new study that sheds new light on the mechanisms of the immunosuppressant Cyclosporin A (CSA) and its effects on angiogenesis.

The study ‘Cyclosporin A toxicity on endothelial cells differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells: Assembling an adverse outcome pathway’ was conducted as part of the in3 Project funded by the MSCA-ITN training networks that aimed to combine human in-vitro testing with computational methods to achieve animal-free chemical and NM safety assessment. Evercyte collaboration.

The lead author of the study is Dr. Zahra Mazidi, formerly of Evercyte, who completed her PhD with the company, assisted by head of the Evercyte cell development team Dr. Matthias Wieser and company co-founders COO/CSO Dr. Regina Grillari-Voglauer and Dr.  Johannes Grillari.

The Everycte team was working in collaboration with researchers from more than a dozen other eminent European institutions, including Vienna-based sister company, the microRNA specialist TAmiRNA.

Links to vascular dysfunction

The study focuses on the mechanistic toxicology of CSA and its concerning links to vascular dysfunction. The research team used iPSCs to uncover the impact of CSA on endothelial cells, key players in vascular health.

One of the significant findings was that CSA triggers oxidative stress by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and impairing mitochondrial function, ultimately disrupting angiogenesis and blood vessel formation.

Additionally, the team developed an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) linking CSA exposure to vascular damage as a valuable tool for predicting human toxicity.

Resources

Click on Cyclosporin A toxicity on endothelial cells differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells: Assembling an adverse outcome pathway for access to the full Paper.