Researchers uncover promising new target for treating high blood pressure
University of Missouri researchers are studying high blood pressure, one of the world's deadliest health threats. Recently, they identified a protein that contributes to arterial stiffening and inflammation, opening the door to a new approach for preventing and treating the condition before it leads to heart attacks or strokes.
Researchers at the University of Missouri have identified a protein that plays a role in high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes. Camila Manrique-Acevedo, a professor at Mizzou's School of Medicine, and her team found that blocking the activity of this protein, known as TG2, in specific immune cells could potentially offer a new way to treat hypertension by reducing inflammation.
The study, published in the American Journal of Physiology, compared mice with normal and reduced levels of TG2 in their myeloid cells—a type of white blood cell involved in the immune system. When treated with a hormone that raises blood pressure, mice with normal levels of TG2 showed increased blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and inflammation.
However, mice with TG2 removed did not exhibit the same increases, suggesting that targeting TG2 activity in myeloid cells could be a promising therapeutic strategy for hypertension. The findings offer a potential step towards understanding and treating high blood pressure more effectively, particularly for those who may benefit most from such a treatment.
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