CEACAM1 and TNF- α in Age-Related Vascular Dysfunction

Researchers here report on their investigations of one small part of the complex biochemistry of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress that is observed in aging blood vessels. This sort of work is carried out in search of novel target proteins and mechanisms that might be influenced in order to treat age-related vascular conditions, those that arise from the downstream consequences of chronic inflammation in older individuals. It would be a better approach to address the causes of age-related chronic inflammation rather than adjust its mechanisms or immediate consequences, but this remains a less popular strategy in the research community. The quest for complete understanding of any given disease process tends to shed light on proximate causes and immediate consequences, and thus that is where most new therapeutic development is focused. CEACAM1 contributes to angiogenesis by induction of vascular sprouting, but has not been associated with the vascular aging process until recently. It has been known for a long time that the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α is upregulated within the wall of aging vasculature and contributes to endothelial dysfunction that in turn predicts cardiovascular events. Since we showed previously that CEACAM1 is critically involved in TNF-α-mediated endothelial barrier breakdown via adherens junction disassembly, we wondered whether CEACAM1 might also contribute to vascular aging. As a first hint, we observed re-expression of CEAC...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs