Methods to target the soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor pathway for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis

Abstract

Provided herein are methods for preventing or treating atherosclerosis by reducing levels or inhibiting the activity of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) protein and/or and downstream effectors thereof (e.g., v 3 integrin, vitronectin, uPA, etc.) in a subject. The method comprising determining the level of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) protein in a sample obtained from a subject; and treating the subject to reduce suPAR levels and/or inhibit suPAR activity if the suPAR level in the sample is elevated, wherein treating the subject to reduce suPAR protein levels and/or inhibit the activity of suPAR comprises administering an anti-suPAR therapy in the form of a nucleic acid inhibitor, an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO), an siRNA, an shRNA, an element of a as/CRISPR system or an antibody or antibody fragment that binds to suP AR or a ligand or receptor of suP AR and thereby inhibits the activity of suPAR.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.