Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease continues to be one of the leading causes of death globally and an illness that massively impacts health on an international level. Protheragen offers a unique, all-encompassing research service specifically on the diseases involving iron metabolism, enabling researchers and scientists to make important breakthroughs. We concentrate on the complex links between atherosclerosis and iron imbalance, providing custom support for atherosclerosis therapy development.
Overview of Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a slowly advancing inflammatory disease of blood vessels linked to abnormal lipid changes and inward blood vessel wall dysfunction. Atherosclerosis is known to be multifactorial in origin due to both hereditary and environmental influences. The sequence of biological events that lead to this chronic disease involves inflammation, lipoprotein oxidation, and accumulation, calcification, and plaque formation. Atherosclerotic disease, including myocardial infarction and stroke, is currently the leading cause of death worldwide.
Fig.1 Hepcidin's involvement in foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. (Wunderer, F., et al., 2020)
Iron Metabolism Abnormalities in Atherosclerosis
In human atherosclerotic plaques, lipids undergo oxidation, there is excessive cell of cell death, and there is deposition of iron. In the atherosclerosis phenomenon, iron overload is capable of ROS overproduction and is capable of inflammatory responses and lipoprotein alterations, which are vital to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is essential for the development of atherosclerotic and thrombotic plaques. It is notable that the IL-1β/IL-6 signaling pathway controls the metabolism of iron by modulating the hepcidin level.
Fig.2 The action of iron metabolism and ferroptosis in cardiovascular diseases. (Chen, Y., et al., 2023)
Therapeutics Development for Atherosclerosis
| Drug Name | Mechanism of Action | Targets | Research Phase |
| LDN-193189 | Inhibition of BMP signaling decreased hepcidin levels, which decreased the accumulation of vascular macrophages and reduced the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. | BMP type I receptor | Preclinical |
| ALK3-Fc | Inhibition of BMP signaling suppresses vascular calcification, inflammation, and formation of atheroma. | BMP | Preclinical |
| Ferrostatin-1 | Reduce atherosclerotic lesions by averting ferroptosis along with decreased iron, and lipid peroxidation and lipid peroxidation accumulation. | Ferroptosis | Preclinical |
Disclaimer: Protheragen focuses on providing preclinical research services. This table is for information exchange purposes only. This table is not a therapy plan recommendation. For guidance on therapy options, please visit a regular hospital.
Our Services
Protheragen offers comprehensive end-to-end solutions to accelerate atherosclerosis diagnostics, therapeutic, disease model development, and preclinical research. We provide full-service support in target identification and validation, paying particular attention to the vital area of iron metabolism. In addition, our other pharmacokinetics and drug safety evaluation service ensures rigorous safety and efficacy evaluation in preclinical environments.
Therapeutic Development Services
Animal Model Development Services for Atherosclerosis
Moreover, our animal model development service focuses on generating and applying highly pertinent animal models for atherosclerosis research. Such models are essential for studying the progression of the disease, evaluating potential therapies, and understanding the role of iron metabolism and atherosclerosis in vivo.
| Genetically Engineered Model | |
| Genetically engineered models often involve modifying genes important for lipid metabolism or inflammatory processes. | |
| Optional models | Apolipoprotein E deficient (Apoe-/-) model, LDL receptor-deficient (Ldlr-/-) model, PCSK9-AAV model, etc. |
| Diet-induced Models | |
| Diet-induced models include administering a high-fat, high-cholesterol, or Western-style diet to animals to induce hyperlipidemia and, later, atherosclerosis. | |
| Optional models | Cholesterol-fed rabbit model, High-fat/high-cholesterol-induced model, etc. |
Pharmacokinetics and Drug Safety Evaluation Services
Given our profound knowledge in iron metabolism and atherosclerosis alongside our cutting-edge infrastructure and unwavering commitment to scientific rigor, Protheragen is perfectly positioned to advance research and develop therapies with you. Interested in using our tailored services to expedite your atherosclerosis research? Reach out to us today so we can discuss your project requirements and the ways that we can help you make breakthroughs.
References
- Wunderer, Florian et al. "The role of hepcidin and iron homeostasis in atherosclerosis." Pharmacological research 153 (2020): 104664.
- Chen, Yufei et al. "Targeting Iron Metabolism and Ferroptosis as Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Cardiovascular Diseases." Nutrients 15.3 (2023): 591.