In a new study, researchers have discovered the cause of hardening of the arteries.
They have identified the mechanism behind hardening of the arteries and shown that a generic medication normally used to treat acne may help treat the condition.
The research was led by the University of Cambridge and King’s College London.
Hardening of the arteries is also called atherosclerosis, occurs when fat, cholesterol and other substances build up in the walls of arteries.
These plaques can narrow or block the arteries and cause problems in the body, including dementia, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
The condition can happen to everyone as they age, and develop fasts in patients on dialysis, where even children can have calcified arteries.
Currently, there is no treatment for the condition.
In the new study, the team found that a molecule once thought only to exist inside cells for the purpose of repairing DNA is also responsible for hardening of the arteries.
In addition, the team examined rats with chronic kidney disease and found that minocycline, a widely used antibiotic to treat acne, could treat hardening of the arteries.
The drug could prevent the build-up of calcium in the circulatory system and was highly effective in preventing artery hardening.
The team believes the findings show a potential treatment to reduce blood vessel calcification without any adverse effects on bone.
The technology now has been patented and has been licensed to Cycle Pharmaceuticals by Cambridge Enterprise, the University’s commercialization arm.
The researchers hope to test the drug treatment in patients in the next 12 to 18 months. The new treatment, if successful, can benefit many people and prevent many diseases from happening.
One leader of the study is Professor Melinda Duer from Cambridge’s Department of Chemistry.
The study is published in the journal Cell Reports.
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