Coronary Artery Fistula

Coronary artery fistula may be considered an uncommon congenital or acquired abnormal communication between a coronary artery and a cardiac chamber or a thoracic great vessel, without an intervening capillary network. These anomalous connections can result in myocardial ischemia, ventricular dysfunction, and congestive heart failure. For coronary artery fistula and other rare cardiovascular diseases, Protheragen provides you with one-stop drug discovery and development services that are designed to meet all your research needs and accelerate your projects from concept to the marketplace.

Introduction to Coronary Artery Fistula

Coronary artery fistula is an uncommon condition characterized by abnormal communication between the main coronary artery and cardiac chambers, pulmonary arteries, veins, and systemic arteries. It is caused by the coronary steal effect, which could result in functional ischemia of the myocardium. Coronary fistula is present in ~0.002% of the general population, but it exists in 0.05% to 0.25% of individuals who have undergone catheter coronary angiography.

Fig.1 Coronary artery fistula examples. (Kumar, R., et al., 2023)

Pathogenesis of Coronary Artery Fistula

The congenital coronary artery fistula of origin is related to the vascular sinusoid cavity formed by cardiac endothelial cells in prenatal life. Coronary arteries grow from the aortic root and are fed to the capillary networks on the surface of the heart. Some are related to developmental-era abnormalities, such as a sinusoid cavity that does not entirely disappear and shrinkage during development so that the network of connection between coronary branches and the heart cavity becomes pathological. Besides, some coronary artery fistulae may be caused by surgical injury, atherosclerotic disease, or acute myocardial infarction.

Fig.2 The formation process of coronary artery fistulae. (Palmquist-Gomes, P., et al., 2023)

Therapeutics Development for Coronary Artery Fistula

Previously, surgical repair was considered a therapeutic option for coronary artery fistulas. At the same time, at present catheterized closure is used, and individuals are treated symptomatically with drugs for congestive heart failure and/or coronary insufficiency.

Our Services

Protheragen teams employ cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic development strategies and services to accelerate and increase the precision of therapy. We develop and validate high-fidelity models of diseases to mimic human physiological responses, enabling positive therapeutic outcomes. The details are important, so we provide complete pharmacokinetics services and preclinical safety and efficacy studies on drug candidates.

Therapeutic Development Services

Animal Model Development for Coronary Artery Fistula

The establishment of models of coronary artery fistula in animals is necessary for the further study of this rare cardiovascular disease. It allows us to investigate its pathophysiology completely and also to analyze potential therapeutic options in a complex environment. Specific animal models of coronary artery fistula can be developed according to your unique research needs and goals, our company helps you find the most opportunity to streamline your approach to drug development.

Genetically Engineered Models

Some specific genes that are involved in vascular development can be modified using gene-editing techniques so that a coronary artery fistula-like trait can be created in experimental animals.

• Itga4 epicardial mutation model
• Other models

Transplant Animal Models

In animal models of coronary artery fistula, vascular grafts are inserted to create abnormal connections between coronary arteries and cardiac tissues to simulate the situation.

• Circumflex coronary-pulmonary artery fistula model
• Other models

Thanks to our team of experts and advanced technology, Protheragen optimizes the drug development workflow, thus allowing you to focus on critical areas. Are you prepared to take your science to the level of groundbreaking therapeutics? Get in touch today and discover how our bespoke solutions can assist with your project.

References

• Palmquist-Gomes, P et al. "Origin of congenital coronary arterio-ventricular fistulae from anomalous epicardial and myocardial development." Experimental & molecular medicine 55.1 (2023): 228-239.
• Kumar, Rajesh et al. "Coronary Artery Fistula: A Diagnostic Dilemma." Interventional cardiology (London, England) 18 (2023): e25.