A Review of Vascular Aging, with Thoughts on Reversing It

It seems to be a requirement that any review of what is known of the mechanisms of vascular aging must include a quote from Thomas Sydenham. You might compare the open access here with another noted earlier in the month, both of which feature that same quoted remark. Vascular aging is indeed an important component of age-related mortality, but we should expect two near future rejuvenation therapies to greatly improve matters, more so than has been possible through the medical advances of past decades, such as the introduction of statins. Senescent cells and cross-links both contribute to vascular stiffness and chronic inflammation. Those two items drive much of the consequent dysfunction and progressive failure of the cardiovascular system. Fortunately, senolytic therapies are currently under development, involving numerous drug candidates and other approaches to clearance of senescent cells. In humans almost all of the persistent cross-links relevant to aging involve a single compound, glucosepane. Researchers are working on ways to break those links, with glucosepane as the target. Much of the research community continues to focus on aspects of vascular aging other than the root causes, however, focused on downstream changes. Progress will remain slower than it might be until that changes. More than three centuries ago, a famous English physician and author, Thomas Sydenham, said "A man is as old as his arteries". This popular quote signifies a correlation b...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs