Silencing TLR4 gene can stop process leading to cardiovascular disease in diabetics (animal study)
TLR4 plays a role in death of heart cells from high blood sugar.
From the article:
Researchers writing in BioMed Central’s open access Journal of Translational Medicine carried out a series of in vitro tests which demonstrated that TLR4 plays a critical role in hyperglycaemic cardiac apoptosis, and that silencing the gene using specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) can prevent it.
![]()
Enjoying this research? Get deeper insights like this delivered every other week.
Every other week our Premium Members receive deep dives like this alongside Rhonda's commentary and 8+ other hand-picked papers.
[…]
They found that after 7 days of hyperglycemia, the level of TLR4 mRNA in myocardial tissue was significantly elevated, and signs of apoptosis were evident. Silencing TLR4 resulted in suppression of apoptotic cascades. According to Min, “This is the first demonstration of the prevention of cardiac apoptosis in diabetic mice through silencing of the TLR4 gene.”