Zhichao Zhou

Zhichao Zhou

Non-coding RNA in erythrocytes: new mediators of vascular complications in diabetes

Patients with diabetes suffer widespread vascular complications leading to heart attack, stroke, kidney damage and eye damage. A major contributing factor is impaired function of the endothelial cells of blood vessels. The function of red blood cells (erythrocytes) is altered in type 2 diabetes and can cause endothelial damage. Erythrocytes contain various non-coding (nc) RNAs, which can affect the function of endothelial cells in the blood vessel wall.

In the current project, we identify ncRNAs in erythrocytes from patients and animals with type 2 diabetes and study the role of ncRNAs in the detrimental effect of erythrocytes on vascular function as a novel mechanism of vascular damage in diabetes. The project is also studying new treatments that protect against this vascular damage.

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5 selected publications

Zhou Z (Corresponding author), Mahdi A, Trtsiakovich Y, Zahoran S, Kövamees O, Nordin F, Uribe Gonzalez AE, Alvarsson M, Östenson CG, Andersson DC, Hedin U, Hermesz E, Lundberg JO, Yang J, Pernow J. Erythrocytes from patients with type 2 diabetes induce endothelial dysfunction via arginase I. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018 Aug 14;72(7):769-780. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.05.052.

Mahdi A, Yang J, Kövamees O, Alvarsson M, Zhou Z, Pernow J. The effect of glycemic control on endothelial and cardiac dysfunction induced by red blood cells in type 2 diabetes. Front Pharmacol. 2019 Aug 2;10:861

Kontidou E, Collado A, Pernow J, Zhou Z (corresponding and senior author). Erythrocyte-Derived microRNAs: Emerging Players in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2023 May;43(5):628-636.

Mahdi A, Tratsiakovich Y, Tengbom J, Jiao T, Garib L, Alvarsson M, Yang J, Pernow J, Zhou Z (Corresponding and senior author). Erythrocytes induce endothelial injury in type 2 diabetes through alteration of vascular purinergic signaling. Pharmacol. 2020 Nov. 30;11:603226 doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.603226

Zhou Z (Corresponding author), Collado A, Sun C, Tratsiakovich Y, Mahdi A, Winter H, Chernogubova E, Seime T, Narayanan S, Jiao T, Jin H, Alvarsson M, Zheng X, Yang J, Hedin U, Catrina SB, Maegdefessel L, Pernow J. Downregulation of erythrocyte miR-210 induces endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes. 2022 Feb 1;71(2):285-297.