Research interests

Ageing of the cardiovascular system.

The main focus of the research in the lab is ageing of the cardiovascular system. This is the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease and we are interested in the role of so-called non-coding RNA in this process. Current focus lies on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which control key cellular processes in endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes. We study lncRNAs in these cells that are (dys)regulated during ageing and aim to identify targets for therapeutic intervention. Our studies include functional in vitro and in vivo models, as well as molecular biology and biochemical assays.

Recent publications

Research portal

1. Juni RP, Phelp PG, Bink DI, Kremer V, van Bergen AS, Espin Gonzalez P, Rombouts KB, Harber KJ, Heister DAF, Yeung KK, Van den Bossche J, Kuster DWD; Amsterdam UMC COVID-19 Biobank Study Group Krijnen PAJ, Niessen HWM, Boon RA. COVID19 Impairs Cardiac Function via Endothelial H19 and IL6 Signaling. Circ Res. 2023 132(5):648-651.
2. Gimbel AT, Koziarek S, Theodorou K, Schulz JF, Stanicek L, Kremer V, Ali T, Günther S, Kumar S, Jo H Hübner N, Maegdefessel L, Dimmeler S, van Heesch S, Boon RA. Aging-regulated TUG1 is dispensable for endothelial cell function. PLoS One. 2022 179:e0265160.
3. Kremer V, Oppelaar JJ, Gimbel T, Koziarek S, Ganzevoort W, Pampus MG, van den Born BJ, Vogt L, de Groot C Boon RA. Neuro-oncological Ventral Antigen 2 Regulates Splicing of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1 and Is Required for Endothelial Function. Reprod Sci. 2022 30(2):678-689.
4. Kremer V, Stanicek L, van Ingen E, Bink DI, Hilderink S,jsen AJ, Wittig I, Mägdefessel L, Nossent AY, Boon RA. The long non-coding RNA MEG8 induces an endothelial barrier through regulation of microRNA-370 and -494 processing. J Cell Sci. 2022 135(12):j259671.
5. Kremer V, Bink DI, Stanicek L, van Ingen E, Gimbel T, Hilderink S, Günther S, Nossent AY, Boon RA. MEG8 regulates Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor 2 (TFPI2) expression in the endothelium. Sci Rep. 17;12(1):843.
6. Pham TP, van Bergen AS, Kremer V, Glaser SF, Dimmeler S, Boon RA. LncRNA AERRIE Is Required for Sulfatase 1 Expression, but Not for Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 22(15):8088.
7. Stanicek L, Lozano-Vidal N, Bink DI, Hooglugt A, Yao W, Wittig I, van Rijssel J, van Buul JD, van Bergen A, Klems A, Ramms AS, Le Noble F, Hofmann P, Szulcek R, Wang S, Offermanns S, Ercanoglu MS, Kwon HB, Stainier D, Huveneers S, Kurian L, Dimmeler S, Boon RA. Long non-coding RNA LASSIE regulates shear stress sensing and endothelial barrier function. Commun Biol. 2020 3(1):265.
8. Trembinski DJ, Bink DI, Theodorou K, Sommer J, Fischer A, van Bergen A, Kuo CC, Costa IG, Schürmann C, Leisegang MS, Brandes RP, Alekseeva T, Brill B, Wietelmann A, Johnson CN, Spring-Connell A, Kaulich M, Werfel S, Engelhardt S, Hirt MN, Yorgan K, Eschenhagen T, Kirchhof L, Hofmann P, Jaé N, Wittig I, Hamdani N, Bischof C, Krishnan J, Houtkooper RH, Dimmeler S, Boon RA. Aging-regulated anti-apoptotic long non-coding RNA Sarrah augments recovery from acute myocardial infarction. Nat Commun. 2020 11(1):2039.
9. Hofmann P, Sommer J, Theodorou K, Kirchhof L, Fischer A, Li Y, Perisic L, Hedin U, Maegdefessel L, Dimmeler S, Boon RA. Long non-coding RNA H19 regulates endothelial cell aging via inhibition of STAT3 signalling. Cardiovasc Res. 2019 115(1):230-242.

Ongoing research projects

• CardioReGenix: Developing gene therapy for cardiovascular diseases based on non-coding RNAs
• ERC-NICCA: The role of non-coding RNAs in aging-induced heart failure
• ReGenLnc: Utilizing non-coding RNAs to enhance hance angiogenesis to stimulate regeneration of the heart after an acute myocardial infarction

Group members

• Anke van Bergen
• Rio Juni
• Diewertje Bink
• Aukie Hooglugt
• Ruggero Belluomo
• Lily Jalink
• Amber Schonk