Scientists have discovered new clues about why cells that normally protect our arteries can sometimes change and help heart disease get worse.
The research, from the University of Virginia Health, could eventually lead to new treatments for coronary artery disease.
Heart disease remains one of the biggest causes of death around the world. A common form is coronary artery disease, which develops when fatty material and other substances collect inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
These deposits are often called plaques. As plaques grow, they can narrow the arteries and reduce blood flow, while unstable plaques can break open and trigger a blood clot that may cause a heart attack.
The new research focuses on smooth muscle cells, which are found in the walls of arteries. These cells normally help blood vessels maintain their structure and respond to changes in blood pressure and blood flow.
Smooth muscle cells can also play a protective role when plaque develops. They can help create a covering over the plaque, making it less likely to break open and cause a dangerous blockage.
But scientists have learned that these cells are surprisingly flexible. Under some conditions, they can change their behavior and take on features that may increase inflammation or contribute to the growth of plaque instead of protecting the artery.
Why this change happens has been a major question for heart researchers. A team led by Dr. Mete Civelek, with researcher Noah Perry and colleagues, investigated the genes and biological processes that may control these changes.
The researchers studied smooth muscle cells obtained from people who had donated hearts for transplantation. By examining differences in the activity of genes, the team looked for signals that could explain why some of these cells behave differently from others.
Their analysis pointed to the way cells handle nitrogen and glycogen. Glycogen is a stored form of sugar that cells can break down when they need energy, while nitrogen-containing compounds are involved in many essential processes inside the body.
The study suggests that changes in these systems may influence whether smooth muscle cells remain protective or begin behaving in ways that promote artery disease. Understanding this connection could reveal new biological targets for future medicines.
One sugar that attracted particular attention was mannose. Mannose occurs naturally in the body and is involved in several cell processes, but the researchers found evidence suggesting that it may also be connected to changes in artery smooth muscle cells.
Scientists still need to determine exactly what mannose is doing and whether changing this pathway could safely reduce heart disease. The findings are an early step toward understanding a complicated process rather than evidence that people should change the amount of mannose in their diets.
The discovery matters because existing heart treatments cannot prevent every heart attack or case of coronary artery disease. Medicines that lower cholesterol or blood pressure can greatly reduce risk, but researchers continue to search for additional ways to stop dangerous plaques from forming or becoming unstable.
If scientists can identify the signals that push smooth muscle cells toward harmful behavior, future treatments might be designed to keep the cells in their protective state. Such an approach could attack heart disease through a different pathway from today’s commonly used medicines.
The research team included Noah Perry, Diana Albarracin, Redouane Aherrahrou and other scientists working with Dr. Civelek. Their findings were published in the scientific journal Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine.
For now, established ways to protect the heart remain important, including not smoking, staying physically active, managing blood pressure and cholesterol, and eating a balanced diet. The new study adds another piece to the heart-disease puzzle and may help scientists develop more precise treatments in the future.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer, and results showing strawberries could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
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