Scientists report in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of Lipid Research that a protein called transthyretin (TTR) that is present in the blood may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis – a potentially fatal heart disease in which the arteries are progressively narrowed and hardened over time, reducing blood flow to the heart.

TTR has been shown to cleave a blood compound called apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), which can produce structures called fibrils that are shaped like strands and accumulate in blood vessels. These fibrils have been observed in people with a mutation of the gene that makes ApoA-I, but whether cleavage by TTR promotes the formation of such fibrils has not been assessed yet.

Monica Mendes Sousa and colleagues determined that when ApoA-I is cleaved by TTR, it tends to form fibrils faster than the uncleaved ApoA-I. This discovery may provide new ways to treat people with atherosclerosis by stopping TTR from cleaving ApoA-I and slowing down the formation of fibrils in blood vessels

Article: “ApoA-I cleaved by transthyretin has reduced ability to promote cholesterol efflux and increased amyloidogenicity,” by Marcia Almeida Liz, Claudio M. Gomes, Maria Joao Saraiva, and Monica Mendes Sousa

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with over 11,900 members in the United States and internationally. Most members teach and conduct research at colleges and universities. Others conduct research in various government laboratories, nonprofit research institutions and industry. The Society’s student members attend undergraduate or graduate institutions.

Founded in 1906, the Society is based in Bethesda, Maryland, on the campus of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. The Society’s purpose is to advance the science of biochemistry and molecular biology through publication of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the Journal of Lipid Research, and Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, organization of scientific meetings, advocacy for funding of basic research and education, support of science education at all levels, and promoting the diversity of individuals entering the scientific work force.

Source: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)