The Mammary Artery and Atherosclerosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Mammary Artery and Atherosclerosis: The Search of Protective Genes Against Plaque Formation
IRAS ID
277127
Contact name
Thomas Lüscher
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Atherosclerosis is a potentially serious condition in which arteries become clogged with fatty substances called plaques, or atheroma, representing the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Of note, such lesions primarily develop in the circulation of the heart and brain, as well as in the limb circulation, while the circulation of both arms is usually spared. This is of particular interest, since the currently known cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; i.e., a protein that transports certain lipids) and high plasma glucose levels, among others, are similarly present in all parts of the arterial circulation. The internal mammary artery (IMA) (i.e., one of the arteries of the anterior chest wall), although exposed to the same cardiovascular risk profile as vessels prone to atherosclerosis (e.g., coronary artery tree, aorta), exhibits biological properties protecting it from the build-up of plaques. Indeed, histopathological studies (i.e., studies that investigate microscopic changes of tissue) have shown that for the entire lifespan the intimal thickness (i.e., the inner layer of arterial vessels) of the coronary arteries increases continuously, while the intima of the IMA remains almost constant over the entire lifespan, which is paralleled by maintained vascular function as demonstrated by our group. Given the above-mentioned, it is tempting to speculate that the human IMA does express protective genes which, in spite of its exposure to multiple cardiovascular risk factors over a lifespan, prevent the development of plaques in this blood vessel. Bulk next-generation RNA sequencing will be used to unveil novel gene products involved in protecting this vessel from the buildup of fatty plaques. The detailed characterization of these genes will provide possible novel therapeutic targets for the prevention or treatment of atherosclerosis and, in turn, coronary artery disease with its complications such as myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/PR/0011
Date of REC Opinion
12 Aug 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion