Amyloid- β as a Contributing Cause of Age-Related Cardiovascular Disease

Amyloid-β is one of the few proteins in the human body capable of misfolding in a way that encourages aggregation, causing the misfolded version to spread and form harmful deposits in tissues. This process is best known in the context of Alzheimer's disease, where an active debate continues over whether it is actually an important part of the condition or a side-effect of other important mechanisms. Amyloid-β aggregation also occurs in the cardiovascular system, however. There is some evidence for the presence of amyloid-β in brain and vasculature to be in a state of dynamic equilibrium, but equally the disease processes that arise in these two locations might still be largely independent of one another. Aging-related cellular and molecular processes including low-grade inflammation are major players in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Epidemiological studies report an independent interaction between the development of dementia and the incidence of CVD in several populations, suggesting the presence of overlapping molecular mechanisms. Accumulating experimental and clinical evidence suggests that amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides may function as a link among aging, CVD, and AD. Experimental evidence indicates that Aβ peptides may be actively involved in downstream pathways leading to plaque rupture, thrombosis, and subsequent clinical manifestations of the acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Αβ1-40 stimulates platelet a...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs