Identity-shifting cells protect against rupture in atherosclerosis

Medical XPress ^ | July 29, 2019 | Stanford University Medical Center

[ConservativeMind]

Changing your identity to protect others might sound like something reserved for comic book vigilantes, but a study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine has found a select group of cells in artery walls do just that.

For these cells, the identity shift happens in a disease called atherosclerosis, which occurs when arteries get clogged by plaque, a buildup of fats, cholesterol and molecular particulate.

"We know that things like poor diet and lack of exercise contribute to atherosclerosis," said Thomas Quertermous, MD. "But molecularly speaking, researchers still don't know how the disease progresses or, conversely, is hindered." This new work, he said, takes a big step toward addressing that question.

Plaque grows within the layers of tissue that form the artery, as opposed to inside the tube itself, causing the blood conduit to narrow. Too much plaque tears open the tissue, allowing the built-up gunk to flood the interior of the tube. That leads to a clot, which can cause artery blockage and often a heart attack.

In people with atherosclerosis, cells that make up the artery wall transform and invade the area containing the plaque, or lesion, and form something called a fibrous cap, which acts kind of like a lid to prevent the plaque from bursting into the artery. Now, Quertermous and his colleagues have characterized the identity of these transformed cells, giving key insights into something called plaque stability, which determines the likelihood of a plaque bursting. The more robust the fibrous cap, the more stable the plaque and the less likely it is to rupture.

The team has also pinpointed a gene that seems to be behind the cells' transformation. What's more individuals who had more activity in this particular gene were at a decreased risk for heart attack.

[ConservativeMind]

We now have a better understanding of how the plaques form. They are a cell that is migrating to cover the problem.

[calico_thompson]

I had a heart attack 40 years ago. My doctor (in a research hospital,) was convinced that this was a disease process that could be cured. There were not the potent Statin drugs, and he knew we would not follow the vegetarian/starvation protocol.