Age-linked atherosclerosis and gene therapy

Atherosclerosis, the biggest factor in most age-related heart attacks and strokes, is believed to be a consequence of the accumulation of cholesterol and toxic oxysterols in the arteries. The most common oxysterol encountered in age-linked diseases 7-ketocholesterol (7KC). It only seems logical that this molecule should be a target for future treatments.

A team of researchers at Rice University is currently trying to get a gene therapy against the accumulation of 7KC. Obviously, bacteria in graveyards must possess enzymes that are capable of breaking down our target molecule, thus they have been screening bacterial enzymes activity against 7KC with spectrophotometry.

The research group finds the bacterial enzyme sp. DS1 cholesterol oxidase promising for future gene therapies or enzyme therapies, which would bring enzymes capable of breaking down 7KC to our macrophages, stopping and reversing the accumulation of cholesterol and toxic oxysterols in the lining of blood arteries.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22447444

http://www.sens.org/files/pdf/manu15.pdf

http://sens.org/research/research-blog/toward-regenerative-medicine-against-atherosclerosis