Irish researchers have discovered a new role for the blood clotting protein, von Willebrand Factor (VWF), which could lead to the development of new treatments for patients with inflammatory and blood clotting disorders.

Deficiency in VWF is called von Willebrand disease and it occurs in about one in 1,000 people in Ireland. Those affected have an increased risk of serious heavy bleeding. In contrast, people with high levels of VWF in their blood are at risk of developing serious blood clots. For example, very high levels have been implicated in the unusual blood clots seen in the lungs of patients with severe Covid-19.

Research by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has shown that VWF has an important role in regulating immune responses at the site of blood vessel injuries.

The researchers found, for the first time, that VWF not only regulates blood clotting at the site of damage but also triggers local immune responses.

They believe that understanding this new biological role for VWF in regulating inflammatory responses may offer the opportunity to develop entirely new treatment options for patients with inflammatory and blood clotting disorders, such as von Willebrand disease, deep vein thrombosis and myocardial infarction.

“For more than 50 years, it has been known that von Willebrand factor plays a key role in preventing bleeding by acting as a glue at the site of injury. This research now helps us to further understand the role that VWF plays in linking blood coagulation and inflammation and thereby paves the way for the development of new treatments,” explained the lead author of the research, Prof James O’Donnell, director of the Irish Centre for Vascular Biology at RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences.

The research was conducted by RCSI in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin and the National Coagulation Centre in St James’s Hospital in Dublin. It is published in the journal, Nature Communications, and can be viewed here.