How do lymphatic malformations continue to grow—even when scientists know the genetic mutation that causes them?
In this Research Network Seminar, Professor Taija Mäkinen, Director of the Wihuri Research Institute and Professor at the University of Helsinki, shares groundbreaking research on PIK3CA-related lymphatic and venous malformations.
The presentation explores how mutated lymphatic vessel cells communicate with immune cells to drive disease progression and highlights promising new therapeutic strategies that target both the genetic mutation and the surrounding tissue environment.
In this seminar, you'll learn:
- What PIK3CA-related lymphatic malformations are
- How lymphatic vessel cells interact with immune cells
- The role of inflammatory PTX3-positive endothelial cells
- Why macrophages and VEGF-C are important in disease progression
- How combination therapies may improve future treatment approaches
- New insights into PIK3CA-driven venous malformations
While these findings are still in the research stage, they provide important insight into how lymphatic malformations develop and may help guide the next generation of therapies.
