TREATMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS

摘要

The invention relates to a method of treating atherosclerosis comprising administering a c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor, and the use of JNK inhibitors in such a treatment and in the manufacture of medicaments for treating atherosclerosis. Preferred as a JNK inhibitor is a JNK2 inhibitor. The invention is based on the fact that JNK2 (but not JNK1) is required for substantial plaque formation in atherosclerosis. The invention further relates to a method of screening for a compound effective in the treatment of atherosclerosis comprising contacting a candidate compound with a JNK and choosing candidate compounds which selectively reduce enzyme activity of JNK2.