Contribution of cholesterol transporter to vascular disease

October 26, 2007

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a transporter of cholesterol, may also contribute to vascular diseases by a previously unidentified mechanism, according to a report published online this week in EMBO reports. The study reveals a link between native LDL (nLDL) and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1), which plays a central role in blood vessel formation.

LDL is responsible for transporting cholesterol from the liver to peripheral tissues. During transit in the blood, cholesterol can be deposited causing the formation of plaques that lead to hardening of the arteries. Vascular diseases such as thrombosis, stroke and heart attacks are associated with this condition, and are attributed to eleven deaths every hour in the UK alone.

Using cell lines and mouse models, Yoshiro Maru and colleagues found that when nLDL is bound to the LDL receptor, it can activate VEGFR1 and accelerate migration of macrophages, scavenger cells that accumulate in the plaques. Both effects could contribute to the progression of the plaques and blocking of the arteries. The authors hope that their discovery of the link between VEFGR1 and nLDL could be exploited as a potential therapeutic target for medical applications.

Source: European Molecular Biology Organization


Rank 5 /5 (2 votes)
Tags

Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • Is Everyday Technology Killing Us?
    createdFeb 08, 2012
  • Exercise and weight loss
    createdFeb 08, 2012
  • Why do we have head aches? Our brains can't feel anything.
    createdFeb 07, 2012
  • "The end of diseases" by David Agus, interview from Daily Show with Jon Stewart
    createdFeb 04, 2012
  • Oncolytic adenovirus
    createdFeb 04, 2012
  • Nutrition label stuffs and diets
    createdFeb 02, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - Medical Sciences

More news stories

Social psychologist: Lust makes you smarter and evidence that seven deadly sins are good for you

(Medical Xpress) -- Good news for lovers on Valentine’s Day - the seven deadly sins, including Lust, are good for you. University of Melbourne social psychologist Dr Simon Laham uses modern research to make a compelling ...

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created 12 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Research finds injuries to professional athletes from routine play or practice often reported as 'freak accidents' in me

(Medical Xpress) -- A new report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy finds injuries to professional athletes from routine play or practice are often characterized as “freak accidents” in ...

Medicine & Health / Health

created 7 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Researchers find rate of follow-up surgeries after partial mastectomy varies greatly

(Medical Xpress) -- A study conducted at the University of Vermont/Fletcher Allen Health Care and three other sites and published in the February 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found significant ...

Medicine & Health / Cancer

created 21 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Cognitive impairment in older adults often unrecognized in the primary care setting

A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reveals that brief cognitive screenings combined with offering further evaluation increased new diagnoses of cognitive impairment in older veterans two to ...

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created 2 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Botox developer rues missing out on billions

Botox developer Alan Scott says he rues the day he handed over rights to the best-selling wrinkle-smoothing drug to a US company for just $4.5 million, saying he might have become a billionaire.

Medicine & Health / Medications

created 3 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


New molecule has potential to help treat genetic diseases and HIV

(PhysOrg.com) -- Chemists at The University of Texas at Austin have created a molecule that's so good at tangling itself inside the double helix of a DNA sequence that it can stay there for up to 16 days before ...

Researchers' paper wins Best Paper Award for 2011

A paper written by Dr. Paul Gratz and his graduate student, Reena Panda, from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University was selected as one of the best papers from IEEE Computer Architecture ...

New European rocket lifts off on maiden flight

A new lightweight rocket, Vega, lifted off from Europe's space base Monday carrying nine satellites on its inaugural flight, mission control said.

Ordered planar polymers created for the first time

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists under the direction of ETH Zurich have created a minor sensation in synthetic chemistry. They succeeded for the first time in producing regularly ordered planar polymers that form ...

Microsoft India retail site down after 'cyber attack'

Microsoft India's retail website was down on Monday after reportedly being hacked by a Chinese group calling itself Evil Shadow Team.

Chinese city seizes Apple iPads in name dispute

(AP) -- Authorities have seized Apple iPads from retailers in a city in northern China due to a dispute with a domestic company that says it owns the iPad name, an official said Monday. The Chinese company said it is asking ...