Protein Block Stops Vascular Damage in Diabetes
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 24 Jun 2013 |
A new study demonstrates that the inhibition of a protein activated when blood sugar is raised suppresses accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetic mice.
Researchers at Lund University (Sweden) conducted a study in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic in mice to investigate whether Nuclear Factor of Activated T-Cells (NFAT) activation may be a link between diabetes and atherogenesis, by measuring blood monocytes, endothelial activation, and inflammatory markers in the aorta, and proinflammatory cytokines in plasma. The study was initiated following previous studies that showed that hyperglycemia activates the transcription factor NFAT in the arterial wall, inducing the expression of the pro-atherosclerotic protein osteopontin.
The study showed that NFAT activation resulted in 2.2 fold increase in aortic atherosclerosis and enhanced proinflammatory burden. Subsequent in vivo treatment with the NFAT blocker A-285222 for four weeks completely inhibited the diabetes-induced aggravation of atherosclerosis, while having no effect in nondiabetic mice. The STZ-treated mice also exhibited hyperglycemia and higher plasma cholesterol and triglycerides, but these were unaffected by A-285222. In fact, the substance did not affect NFAT in any other cells or organs, ruling out systemic immunosuppression as the mechanism behind reduced atherosclerosis. The study was published in the June 3, 2013, issue of PLOS one.
“That is important. We don’t want to suppress the whole immune system. We also saw that the substance only has an effect when NFAT is active. The plaque formation was only stopped in diabetic mice and not in nondiabetic mice, which had normal blood sugar levels”, said lead author Anna Zetterqvist, MSc. “It appears that there are different mechanisms behind plaque formation caused by diabetes and not caused by diabetes.”
A wealth of epidemiologic evidence demonstrate that hyperglycemia promotes a widespread and aggressive form of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries, lower extremities, and extracranial carotid arteries of diabetic patients, causing nearly 80% of all deaths and much of their disability. Both diabetes type 1 and type 2 are independent risk factors for myocardial infarction (MI), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and stroke. In addition, recent studies also show a causal association between elevated glucose levels and increased carotid intima-media thickness, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Related Links:
Lund University
Researchers at Lund University (Sweden) conducted a study in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic in mice to investigate whether Nuclear Factor of Activated T-Cells (NFAT) activation may be a link between diabetes and atherogenesis, by measuring blood monocytes, endothelial activation, and inflammatory markers in the aorta, and proinflammatory cytokines in plasma. The study was initiated following previous studies that showed that hyperglycemia activates the transcription factor NFAT in the arterial wall, inducing the expression of the pro-atherosclerotic protein osteopontin.
The study showed that NFAT activation resulted in 2.2 fold increase in aortic atherosclerosis and enhanced proinflammatory burden. Subsequent in vivo treatment with the NFAT blocker A-285222 for four weeks completely inhibited the diabetes-induced aggravation of atherosclerosis, while having no effect in nondiabetic mice. The STZ-treated mice also exhibited hyperglycemia and higher plasma cholesterol and triglycerides, but these were unaffected by A-285222. In fact, the substance did not affect NFAT in any other cells or organs, ruling out systemic immunosuppression as the mechanism behind reduced atherosclerosis. The study was published in the June 3, 2013, issue of PLOS one.
“That is important. We don’t want to suppress the whole immune system. We also saw that the substance only has an effect when NFAT is active. The plaque formation was only stopped in diabetic mice and not in nondiabetic mice, which had normal blood sugar levels”, said lead author Anna Zetterqvist, MSc. “It appears that there are different mechanisms behind plaque formation caused by diabetes and not caused by diabetes.”
A wealth of epidemiologic evidence demonstrate that hyperglycemia promotes a widespread and aggressive form of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries, lower extremities, and extracranial carotid arteries of diabetic patients, causing nearly 80% of all deaths and much of their disability. Both diabetes type 1 and type 2 are independent risk factors for myocardial infarction (MI), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), and stroke. In addition, recent studies also show a causal association between elevated glucose levels and increased carotid intima-media thickness, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Related Links:
Lund University
Latest Critical Care News
- Discovery of Heart’s Hidden Geometry to Revolutionize ECG Interpretation
- New Approach Improves Diagnostic Accuracy for Esophageal Motility Disorders
- Wristband Sensor Provides All-In-One Monitoring for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Care
- Handheld Device Enables Imaging and Treatment of Oral Cancer in Low-Resource Settings
- New Fully Automated AI Algorithm More Effective at Predicting Heart Attack Risk
- First-In-Kind Self-Assembling Collagen Scaffold Advances Wound Care
- AI-Enhanced Echocardiography Improves Early Detection of Amyloid Buildup in Heart
- Consumer Wearables Could Predict Pediatric Surgery Complications
- Wireless Implant Delivers Chemotherapy Deep into Tumors Without Side Effects
- Skin-Like Sensor Monitors Vital Signs and Tracks Healing After Surgery
- Implantable Device Could Save Diabetes Patients from Dangerously Low Blood Sugar
- New Prostate Screening Device Could Replace Traditional Examination Method
- Adaptive Spine Board to Revolutionize ER Transport
- Mapping Communication Between Internal Organs to Enable Earlier Illness Diagnosis
- Intelligent Wound Dressing Reduces Inflammation and Promotes Healing
- Cuff-Free Blood Pressure Monitoring Device to Improve Early Detection and Management of Hypertension
Channels
Surgical Techniques
view channel
Fluorescent Imaging Agent ‘Lights Up’ Nerves for Better Visualization During Surgery
Surgical nerve injury is a significant concern in head and neck surgeries, where nerves are at risk of being inadvertently damaged during procedures. Such injuries can lead to complications that may impact... Read more
LED-Based Imaging System Could Transform Cancer Detection in Endoscopy
Gastrointestinal cancers remain one of the most common and challenging forms of cancer to diagnose accurately. Despite the widespread use of endoscopy for screening and diagnosis, the procedure still misses... Read morePatient Care
view channel
Revolutionary Automatic IV-Line Flushing Device to Enhance Infusion Care
More than 80% of in-hospital patients receive intravenous (IV) therapy. Every dose of IV medicine delivered in a small volume (<250 mL) infusion bag should be followed by subsequent flushing to ensure... Read more
VR Training Tool Combats Contamination of Portable Medical Equipment
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) impact one in every 31 patients, cause nearly 100,000 deaths each year, and cost USD 28.4 billion in direct medical expenses. Notably, up to 75% of these infections... Read more
Portable Biosensor Platform to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections
Approximately 4 million patients in the European Union acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or nosocomial infections each year, with around 37,000 deaths directly resulting from these infections,... Read more
First-Of-Its-Kind Portable Germicidal Light Technology Disinfects High-Touch Clinical Surfaces in Seconds
Reducing healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) remains a pressing issue within global healthcare systems. In the United States alone, 1.7 million patients contract HAIs annually, leading to approximately... Read moreHealth IT
view channel
Printable Molecule-Selective Nanoparticles Enable Mass Production of Wearable Biosensors
The future of medicine is likely to focus on the personalization of healthcare—understanding exactly what an individual requires and delivering the appropriate combination of nutrients, metabolites, and... Read more
Smartwatches Could Detect Congestive Heart Failure
Diagnosing congestive heart failure (CHF) typically requires expensive and time-consuming imaging techniques like echocardiography, also known as cardiac ultrasound. Previously, detecting CHF by analyzing... Read moreBusiness
view channel
Bayer and Broad Institute Extend Research Collaboration to Develop New Cardiovascular Therapies
A research collaboration will focus on the joint discovery of novel therapeutic approaches based on findings in human genomics research related to cardiovascular diseases. Bayer (Berlin, Germany) and... Read more