A new drug that ‘melts away’ the fat that builds up inside arteries has been hailed as a ‘big breakthrough’ in the fight against heart disease.
The medication has already been successful in trials for the treatment of breast cancer and diabetes and now scientists at Aberdeen University have discovered it could also boost cardiovascular health.
Just a single dose of trodusquemine tested on mice ‘completely reversed’ atherosclerosis, a disease that causes most heart attacks and strokes.
The disease causes arteries to become clogged with fatty substances called plaques, which over time, narrows your arteries.
Researchers believe the drug ‘mimics’ the effects of exercise and activates a protective enzyme. It also inhibits another enzyme that causes prolonged inflammation and hardens arteries.
Experts said their findings have the potential to ‘significantly reduce deaths’, given that heart disease is the number one cause of death globally, killing 17.7 million people a year.
Just a single dose of trodusquemine completely reversed atherosclerosis – which causes most heart attacks – in tests on mice (stock photo)
Professor Mirela Delibegovic hopes to test out the drug on humans next
Professor Mirela Delibegovic from the University of Aberdeen’s Institute of Medical Sciences, who led the study, told Mail Online: ‘We know this drug has been shown to have beneficial effects on reducing prolonged inflammation in type 2 diabetes and because this is also a factor in atherosclerosis we wanted to know if it had cardiovascular benefits too.
‘And our initial tests on mice show that it does, so this is potentially a big breakthrough.
‘Essentially, when it comes to the key enzymes in play here, trodusquemine is stopping the bad guy and helping the good guy.
‘We will now need to carry out further research to see if the same effect is replicated in humans and it can be proven to be safe.’
Key findings
The researchers say trodusquemine works by stopping an enzyme called PTP1B, which is normally increased in people with obesity or diabetes.
It is also raised in other conditions involving prolonged inflammation such as sepsis, inflamed diabetic foot ulcers and allergic lung inflammation.
This illustration shows how fatty substances build up and clog arteries, restricting the blood flow and oxygen supply to vital organs (stock photo)
Previous research has shown that having a deficiency in this enzyme has a protective effect against atherosclerotic plaque formation.
Therefore, knowing this, the team wanted to test it to on mice genetically modified to have the disease.
They found that they had less fatty plaques in their arteries, whether they had regular doses of trodusquemine over time or even just a single dose.
They also believe it stimulates the action of another protein called AMPK, which reduces chronic inflammation.
Inflammation plays a major role in all phases of atherosclerosis by thinning connective tissue in plaques and causing them to rupture.
‘We all have fatty arteries’
All humans have some level of atherosclerosis, according to Professor Delibegovic.
‘We all have these fatty streaks inside our arteries to some degree and as we age atherosclerosis is accelerated,’ she explained.
‘Eating sugary and fatty foods contributes to this process which is why the disease is a big problem for people who are overweight.’
With the plaques causes the arteries to harden and narrow, blood flow and oxygen supply to vital organs becomes restricted. Blood clots can partially or completely block blood flow.
If blood flow to your heart muscle is reduced or blocked, you can develop angina (chest pain or discomfort) or a heart attack.
When the flow of blood to the brain is blocked, it can cause a stroke. According to The British Heart Foundation, 85 per cent of cases are caused by atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis doesn’t tend to have any symptoms at first, and many people may be unaware they have it.
According to NHS Choices, the condition is largely preventable with a healthy lifestyle.
However, with soaring rates of obesity, any drug that can reduce the harmful effects of being overweight on the heart could have a huge impact.
Professor Delibegovic explained: ‘As obesity progresses, fat cells are infiltrated by our immune cells.
‘When that happens inflammation starts developing, which promotes the production of more inflammatory cells, worsening the condition further.’
The British Heart Foundation, which funded the £236,000 study, said the research results were promising.
Associate medical director Professor Jeremy Pearson said: ‘Stopping the build-up of fatty plaques in arteries has the potential to significantly reduce deaths from heart attack and stroke.
‘If we see the same effect in patients, the drug may prove even more useful than currently hoped for.’