They discover a protein that prevents the development of plaque in the arteries

An international group of researchers has found that arteries with (atherosclerotic) plaques or abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) have low levels of galectin-1 and that healthy aortas have higher amounts of this protein, showing that galectin-1 It is an effective therapeutic target.

The details of the discovery, made by a team from the Cyber ​​of Cardiovascular Diseases (Cibercv) from Spain and of National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (Conicet) from Argentinahave been published in the magazine Science Advances.

Cardiovascular disease, which can cause myocardial infarction or stroke, occurs due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries, a process called atherosclerosis.

These plaques can rupture and release their contents, triggering clotting and thrombus formation that obstruct blood flow.

For its part, Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), which is characterized by dilation of the abdominal aorta, is an asymptomatic pathology that is difficult to diagnose early and can worsen until it causes the artery to rupture.

Identifying the mechanisms involved in these pathologies and seeking therapies to prevent mortality associated with these diseases is essential.

This work suggests that the loss of galectin-1 is associated with the development of vascular disease.

To carry out the study, the authors eliminated galectin from a mouse model of atherosclerosis and observed that those that did not have this protein developed more and larger plaques than those that had normal levels of galectin-1.

Atherosclerosis and AAA is characterized by the accumulation of cholesterol and inflammatory cells in the aortic wall, as well as the loss of functionality of vascular smooth muscle cells.

The study focused on investigating new mechanisms by which galectin-1 could protect against the development of atherosclerosis and AAA and, through in vitro studies, The researchers found that while galectin-1-deficient macrophages took up more cholesterol, treatment with galectin-1 prevented cholesterol uptake by these cells.

The study showed that treatment with galectin-1 in mice with atherosclerosis or AAA was able to prevent the development of vascular lesions, through mechanisms related to the preservation of vascular smooth muscle cells.

“Treatment with galectin-1 decreased the size of the necrotic nucleus, a marker of instability in advanced atherosclerotic plaques, which could prevent plaque rupture and associated complications such as heart attack or stroke”Explain Jose Luis Martin Venturafrom the area of Ciber Cardiovascular Diseases (Cibercv) at Jiménez Díaz Health Research Institute.

However, the researchers warn that additional studies are needed in this field.