Frederik Denorme: How von Willebrand Factor Drives the No-Reflow Phenomenon in Stroke
Frederik Denorme, Tenure Track Assistant Professor at University of Antwerp, shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent article he and his colleagues co-authored, published in PNAS, adding:
”Very proud to see our paper ‘Mechanisms of von Willebrand factor activation driving no reflow in ischemic stroke’ finally out in press at PNAS.
We can reopen a blocked artery after a stroke. But blood does not always reach the brain tissue behind it.
Our new paper in PNAS asks a simple question: why?
Here is what we found:
When flow returns, it converges in the brain’s small collateral vessels.
Our modeling indicates this creates stretching flow conditions that favor the unfolding of von Willebrand factor (VWF), a large clotting protein.
Once unfolded, VWF captures platelets and seeds new micro-clots. In the very vessels that should be restoring blood supply.
Inflammation makes it worse. IL-6 lowers the activity of ADAMTS13, the enzyme that normally cleaves VWF and keeps it in check.
We reached this by combining three views of one problem:
- Intravital microscopy to watch the clots form
- Computational fluid dynamics to model the flow
- Patient data to check the biology in people
A true international team effort.
Grateful to everyone who made it happen.”
Proceed to the video attached to the post.
Title: Mechanisms of von Willebrand factor activation driving no reflow in ischemic stroke
Authors: Audrée Laroche, Nick Rovito, Alice Liu, Isabelle Allaeys, Laura Heitsch, Irina Portier, Opeolu Adeoye, Stephanie R. Pizzella, James A. Giles, Jorge Di Paola, Jin-Moo Lee, David Bark, Robert A. Campbell, Debanjan Mukherjee, Éric Boilard, Frederik Denorme
Stay updated on all scientific advances with Hemostasis Today.
-
Sep 11, 2026, 17:41Khaled Musallam: Earlier Recognition, Better Outcomes in NTDT
-
Sep 11, 2026, 17:29Reyhan Kose Cobanoglu: APS ACTION Registry Study Published in Lupus
-
Sep 11, 2026, 17:14Obi Light Ogbonnia: From Kenya to Global Sickle Cell Advocacy
-
Sep 11, 2026, 17:01EAHAD 2027 Marks 20 Years
-
Sep 11, 2026, 16:54Denise Braendgaard: Reimagining Health Systems Through Collective Action
-
Sep 11, 2026, 16:47Jehad Khamaysa: Budd-Chiari Syndrome as the Initial Presentation of Behçet’s Disease in a 16-Year-Old
-
Sep 11, 2026, 16:44Mostafa Faisal Mohammed Saleh: From HLA Biology to Curative Therapy
-
Sep 11, 2026, 16:38Jim Kaveney: Class I, Level A – Lifestyle is Now the Official Standard in AFib Care
-
Sep 11, 2026, 16:31George Touma: Do We Really Need to Implant Metal in Every High-Bleeding-Risk Patient?