Investigating inflammation: new leads for treating atherosclerosis
How do you detect people at high risk of heart attacks and strokes? And how can we improve the treatment of atherosclerosis? These are the questions that keep LACDR researcher Marie Depuydt busy. She is investigating the immune cells that contribute to the worsening of atherosclerosis. ‘It's a challenging and fascinating puzzle to solve.’
‘I think almost everyone knows someone who is affected by cardiovascular disease,’ Depuydt says. Atherosclerosis is one of the most common disorders, a complex disease influenced by many risk factors and interconnected cellular processes. ‘To understand and effectively treat the disease, we must comprehend the interplay between all these factors.’
Atherosclerosis is not only complex but also a silent disease. It develops unnoticed over time. Fatty plaques form in the blood vessels, and when these plaques rupture, they can cause a blood clot that suddenly blocks a vessel. If this blockage prevents blood from reaching the heart or brain, it can result in a heart attack or stroke, leading to permanent damage or even death.
Slowing inflammation to prevent infarcts
It has long been known that inflammation exacerbates atherosclerosis. Inflamed plaques are also more prone to rupture. Therefore, inhibiting inflammation seems a promising strategy to prevent infarcts. However, no current treatment effectively targets this issue. Depuydt is investigating how certain inflammatory cells, specifically T cells, become active and trigger inflammation within the plaques. ‘If we can understand this activation process, we may find ways to reduce their activity,’ she explains.
Doing research directly in the diseased tissue
Depuydt has access to unique material for her research. ‘We receive blood samples and atherosclerotic tissue from patients undergoing surgery in the Haaglanden Medical Centre Westeinde in The Hague. This allows us to study inflammatory cells directly within the diseased tissue.’ Depuydt is investigating how the T cells are activated in atherosclerosis and aims to identify the prominent signalling molecules that are involved.
Depuydt has access to unique research material
However, working with this material poses challenges. ‘The atherosclerotic tissue can be difficult to handle. We receive it directly from the operating room, and there is time pressure to extract as many living cells as possible. Fortunately, we’ve gained a lot of experience over time.’ Depuydt then further investigates the signalling molecules she identifies in cell models and animal models to determine whether influencing these molecules inhibit atherosclerosis. This potentially paves the way for new treatments.
Contributing to better treatment of atherosclerosis
In the blood, Depuydt is searching for the precursor cells of T cells to see if they can predict the course of the disease. It is hypothesised that people with more of these precursor cells are at higher risk of infarction. ‘By measuring these precursor cells in the blood, we could identify patients at risk earlier and ensure they receive the appropriate treatment.’
While her findings may not be directly applicable in clinical settings, Depuydt believes they will provide important insights that could contribute to better treatment of atherosclerosis in the future.
Depuydt received a Dekker Grant for her research. The Dutch Heart Foundation awards this personal research grant annually to a select number of talented scientists researching into cardiovascular diseases. Depuydt: ‘It's an honour to have my research proposal selected by the committee. I am very much looking forward to starting the project!’