New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Science News
from research organizations

New signal stabilizes atherosclerotic plaques

Date:
July 31, 2013
Source:
Karolinska Institutet
Summary:
Researchers have identified a new stabilizing agent of atherosclerotic plaques. These findings show how the immune system can improve the condition in blood vessels to help the body avoid heart attacks.
Share:
FULL STORY

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified a new stabilizing agent of atherosclerotic plaques. These findings have been published in Science Translational Medicine, and show how the immune system can improve the condition in blood vessels to help the body avoid heart attacks.

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease with accumulation of cholesterol in the vessel walls. The atherosclerotic plaque is built up throughout life and when it ruptures it leads to heart attack or stroke. T cells are important immune cells able to direct the immune response; they are present in the plaques at all stages and signal to other cells through contact or secretion of cytokines, a type of hormone-like signal molecules. In the present study the researchers have identified a cytokine produced by T cells that can stabilize atherosclerotic plaques and protect them from rupture.

The researchers made the finding when investigating a new mouse model together with scientists at Yale University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute in the United States.

"When we analyzed the mouse model the result puzzled us. The outcome was opposite to our initial hypothesis," says Anton Gisterå, one of the researchers who conducted the study. "We had to conduct a series of new experiments to understand what was going on, and ended up identifying the cytokine interleukin-17 as a signal that can stabilize plaques."

The possibility to pharmaceutically use this in patients to stabilize their plaques was not assessed in this study, but the findings provide important information on the role of the immune system in atherosclerosis.

"Traditionally, scientists and physicians have viewed atherosclerosis as merely a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, and the influence of inflammation has not been fully attributed," says Göran K. Hansson, team leader of the Experimental Cardiovascular Research group at the Center for Molecular Medicine, and principal investigator of the study. "We need to explore the inflammatory pathways to find new therapies aside from lowering lipids. We have effective statin therapy, but a substantial risk of heart attacks still remains for treated individuals."

The researchers conclude that their results points toward a possible therapeutic approach to stabilize atherosclerotic plaques. Also, in certain patient groups treated with interleukin-17 blocking therapies for other diseases, this stabilizing pathway might be hampered, therefore these patients should be monitored carefully regarding their cardiovascular health.

The Center for Molecular Medicine, established by Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm County Council, is a leading research center in Swedish medicine. The present research has been financed with grants from the Swedish Research Council, Heart-Lung Foundation, Stockholm County Council, and the Foundation for Strategic Research and the European Union.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Karolinska Institutet. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. A. Gistera, A.-K. L. Robertson, J. Andersson, D. F. J. Ketelhuth, O. Ovchinnikova, S. K. Nilsson, A. M. Lundberg, M. O. Li, R. A. Flavell, G. K. Hansson. Transforming Growth Factor-  Signaling in T Cells Promotes Stabilization of Atherosclerotic Plaques Through an Interleukin-17-Dependent Pathway. Science Translational Medicine, 2013; 5 (196): 196ra100 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3006133

Cite This Page:

Karolinska Institutet. "New signal stabilizes atherosclerotic plaques." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 31 July 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130731152239.htm>.
Karolinska Institutet. (2013, July 31). New signal stabilizes atherosclerotic plaques. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 29, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130731152239.htm
Karolinska Institutet. "New signal stabilizes atherosclerotic plaques." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130731152239.htm (accessed March 29, 2024).

Explore More

from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES