New Threat Found from Cholesterol Crystals Creating
Inflammation in Coronary Arteries
Once cholesterol crystals form in arterial wall, they
activate a biomarker called NLRP3 that induces inflammation
May
18, 2010 – Virtually all senior citizens know cholesterol is bad and can
lead to heart attacks and strokes. There is a new discovery of another
life-threatening problem from the cholesterol buildup in your arteries.
Cholesterol crystals that build up on artery walls cause cells to send
out danger signals that can lead to the inflammation and hardening of
arteries.
The discovery by George Abela, chief of the
cardiology division in Michigan State University 's College of Human
Medicine, and a team of researchers provides new insights into how
arteries harden - a process called atherosclerosis - and gives hope for
new and early treatments of cardiovascular disease.
The findings are published in the most recent
edition of the journal Nature.
Past research has shown that as cholesterol builds
up along the wall of an artery, it crystallizes from a liquid to a solid
state and expands, said Abela, who has been studying cholesterol
crystals for nearly a decade. As the crystals expand, they can disrupt
plaque and cause clotting, leading to cardiac attacks. That research
also was recently highlighted recently in the Journal of Clinical
Lipidology.
In the new discovery, Abela and the team - while
looking at causes of inflammation during atherosclerosis in mice - found
that the once cholesterol crystals form in the arterial wall, they
activate a biomarker called NLRP3 that induces inflammation.
"What we have found now, at the cellular level, is
that the crystals are an early cause rather than a late consequence of
inflammation," Abela said.
The discovery could lead to new treatments for
heart disease.
"Since cholesterol crystals form very early in the
process of heart disease, with great potential to aggravate
atherosclerosis, we can target them early on," Abela said.
"We can target new therapies by reducing
cholesterol crystal deposits early on or use an inhibitor to block the
inflammatory biomarker."
Abela added that the biomarker activated by the
crystals could be a better indicator of potential cardiovascular disease
than others, such as serum cholesterol, or the amount of cholesterol
found in the bloodstream.
"Now we treat atherosclerosis on the systematic
level; with this discovery we can also treat it the cellular level," he
said.
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, has
been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative
teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known
internationally as a major public university with global reach and
extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars
worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical
problem solving.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
May
18, 2010 – Virtually all senior citizens know cholesterol is bad and can
lead to heart attacks and strokes. There is a new discovery of another
life-threatening problem from the cholesterol buildup in your arteries.
Cholesterol crystals that build up on artery walls cause cells to send
out danger signals that can lead to the inflammation and hardening of
arteries.
Says persons having myopathy with a statin should
discuss other alternatives with their physician