TY - JOUR
T1 - Elastin in large artery stiffness and hypertension
AU - Wagenseil, Jessica E.
AU - Mecham, Robert P.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments This work was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Grants HL-087653 (to J.E. Wagenseil), HL-74138 (to R.P. Mecham), and HL-105314 (to J.E. Wagenseil and R.P. Mecham).
PY - 2012/6
Y1 - 2012/6
N2 - Large artery stiffness, as measured by pulse wave velocity, is correlated with high blood pressure and may be a causative factor in essential hypertension. The extracellular matrix components, specifically the mix of elastin and collagen in the vessel wall, determine the passive mechanical properties of the large arteries. Elastin is organized into elastic fibers in the wall during arterial development in a complex process that requires spatial and temporal coordination of numerous proteins. The elastic fibers last the lifetime of the organism but are subject to proteolytic degradation and chemical alterations that change their mechanical properties. This review discusses how alterations in the amount, assembly, organization, or chemical properties of the elastic fibers affect arterial stiffness and blood pressure. Strategies for encouraging or reversing alterations to the elastic fibers are addressed. Methods for determining the efficacy of these strategies, by measuring elastin amounts and arterial stiffness, are summarized. Therapies that have a direct effect on arterial stiffness through alterations to the elastic fibers in the wall may be an effective treatment for essential hypertension.
AB - Large artery stiffness, as measured by pulse wave velocity, is correlated with high blood pressure and may be a causative factor in essential hypertension. The extracellular matrix components, specifically the mix of elastin and collagen in the vessel wall, determine the passive mechanical properties of the large arteries. Elastin is organized into elastic fibers in the wall during arterial development in a complex process that requires spatial and temporal coordination of numerous proteins. The elastic fibers last the lifetime of the organism but are subject to proteolytic degradation and chemical alterations that change their mechanical properties. This review discusses how alterations in the amount, assembly, organization, or chemical properties of the elastic fibers affect arterial stiffness and blood pressure. Strategies for encouraging or reversing alterations to the elastic fibers are addressed. Methods for determining the efficacy of these strategies, by measuring elastin amounts and arterial stiffness, are summarized. Therapies that have a direct effect on arterial stiffness through alterations to the elastic fibers in the wall may be an effective treatment for essential hypertension.
KW - Compliance
KW - Extracellular matrix
KW - Mechanics
KW - Pulse wave velocity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84865844525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12265-012-9349-8
DO - 10.1007/s12265-012-9349-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 22290157
AN - SCOPUS:84865844525
SN - 1937-5387
VL - 5
SP - 264
EP - 273
JO - Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research
JF - Journal of Cardiovascular Translational Research
IS - 3
ER -