Recent research has illuminated a fascinating link between atherosclerosis and cancer-like transformations in arterial smooth muscle cells, potentially exacerbating the disease. Atherosclerosis, marked by arterial wall narrowing, poses serious health risks including coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. Published in Circulation and supported by the NIH, the study suggests that employing anti-cancer medications could mitigate plaque buildup, a primary cause of cardiovascular issues.
“This discovery adds a new dimension to our understanding of therapeutic avenues for atherosclerosis prevention and treatment,” remarked Dr. Ahmed Hasan from the NIH’s Division of Cardiovascular Sciences. While previous studies hinted at similarities between atherosclerosis and cancer, this association had not been fully explored until now.
By utilizing molecular techniques in both mouse models and human tissue samples, researchers delineated the mechanisms driving smooth muscle cell transformation akin to cancer. These converted cells within atherosclerotic plaques exhibited heightened DNA damage and genomic instability—key cancer traits. Genomic instability, indicative of increased DNA mutations during cell division, was notably prevalent.
Moreover, the activation of cancer-related genes was observed during smooth muscle cell reprogramming, accelerating atherosclerosis in a mouse model expressing a cancer mutation. Encouragingly, administering the anti-cancer drug niraparib, which targets DNA damage, showed promise in shrinking atherosclerotic plaques in mice, as highlighted by Dr. Huize Pan from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Dr. Muredach Reilly, the study’s senior author, emphasized that comprehending the molecular mechanisms behind smooth muscle cell transition could offer avenues to disrupt tumor-like pathways, potentially curbing atherosclerosis progression.
This groundbreaking study not only sheds light on the intricate interplay between atherosclerosis and cancer but also underscores the therapeutic potential of anti-cancer drugs in managing cardiovascular diseases.
Source: NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
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