Heart disease remains one of the biggest health threats around the world, especially in the United States, where it is responsible for about 25% of all deaths. Among the different types, coronary artery disease is the most common and dangerous.
It happens when plaque builds up inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart, eventually leading to chest pain, heart attacks, or even death. While treatments like cholesterol-lowering drugs and blood pressure medications have helped many people, scientists are still searching for better ways to prevent and treat this deadly disease.
Now, researchers at the University of Virginia Health have uncovered new details that could lead to a better understanding—and possibly new treatments—for coronary artery disease. The study, led by researcher Mete Civelek from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, focuses on special cells in our blood vessels called smooth muscle cells.
These cells usually have a protective role. When plaque builds up in the arteries, smooth muscle cells form a kind of cap over the plaque. This cap helps keep the plaque from breaking open and causing a stroke or heart attack.
But there’s a catch: sometimes these same cells can actually make the plaque worse by contributing to its growth. Why do they help in some cases and harm in others? That’s the mystery the researchers wanted to solve.
To explore this, doctoral student Noah Perry studied smooth muscle cells taken from the hearts of transplant donors. He looked at which genes were active in these cells and how their behavior might change over time.
What he found was surprising: the way these cells process nitrogen and glycogen—a form of stored sugar—was off balance. These changes in basic cell functions could be playing a role in why some smooth muscle cells stop protecting the arteries and start making the disease worse.
One particularly interesting finding was the possible involvement of a sugar called mannose. Mannose is naturally found in small amounts in our bodies and in some foods. The study suggests that mannose may be a factor in how smooth muscle cells shift from helpful to harmful, although more research is needed to fully understand this link.
By identifying the key changes in how smooth muscle cells behave, scientists are one step closer to discovering new ways to prevent or reverse coronary artery disease. If doctors can figure out how to keep these cells in their protective state, it could lead to breakthrough treatments that help stop plaque from building up in the first place.
Civelek and his team—including Perry, Diana Albarracin, and Redouane Aherrahrou—are committed to continuing their research. Their goal is to give doctors more tools to fight heart disease and help the millions of people affected by it.
This new research adds to what we already know about staying heart-healthy. For example, past studies have shown that vitamin D may reduce inflammation, and vitamin K might lower the risk of heart disease by as much as one-third. Other studies suggest that some cooking methods may raise the risk of vision loss, while certain foods can boost brain health.
The full study was published in the journal Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine. While more research is still needed, these findings bring us closer to understanding the root causes of heart disease—and finding better ways to treat it.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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