Publication: Down-regulation of lysyl oxydase-like in aging and venous insufficiency
Loading...
Date
2008
Authors
Pascual, G. ; Mendieta, C. ; Mecham, R.P. ; Sommer, P. ; Bellón, J.M. ; Buján, J.
item.page.secondaryauthor
item.page.director
Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
publication.page.editor
publication.page.department
DOI
item.page.type
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
Background: Elastin expression is higher in
tissues where elastic fibres are essential for the correct
maintenance of function such as blood vessels. Elastin
expression usually diminishes with age, however, it may
be re-expressed in response to injury or repair processes.
Some authors attribute the characteristic loss of elasticity
of the varicose vein to a drop in the population of
smooth muscle cells in the media layer. A reduction in
elastin has been observed in chronic venous
insufficiency, but little is known about some of the
factors involved in elastin synthesis such as lysyl
oxidases. The aim of this study was to examine the in
vivo expression of the elastin precursor, tropoelastin
(TE), and lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1), a cross-linking
enzyme responsible for elastin polymer deposition. The
effects of age on these expression patterns were also
evaluated. Methods: Saphenous vein segments were
obtained during surgery from organ donors (controls,
n=20) and subjects with venous insufficiency (varicose
veins, n=20). Both these groups were subdivided
according to subject age into <50 years (n=10) and ³ 50
years (n=10). Control and varicose vein tissue specimens
were immunolabelled using anti-tropoelastin and antiLOXL1 antibodies and also subjected to Western blot
analysis. Results: Our results indicate that the levels of
these markers of elastin synthesis (LOXL/tropoelastin)
in the vein wall diminish in a significant way (p<0.05)
with the age factor. Excluding the age factor, LOXL1
was significantly decreased in the varicose condition
(p<0.05). In the younger pathological population they
showed an inverse relationship (LOXL decreased,
tropoelastin increased). Conclusions: The already established reduction in elastin in the varicose condition
may be related, at least in part, to the decreased LOXL1
levels observed here. These events could reduce
spontaneous reticulation of elastin and the partial loss of
tissue elasticity in this group of patients.
publication.page.subject
Citation
item.page.embargo
Ir a Estadísticas
Sin licencia Creative Commons.