Avoid heart disease caused by arteriosclerosis in diabetics

Arteriosclerosis as a major cause of increased mortality in diabetes - better therapy

It has long been known that diabetics have a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease than people without diabetes. The main cause of this is atherosclerosis, a calcification of the vessels. German researchers are now identifying a new way to reduce arteriosclerotic heart disease in diabetics.

Shortened life expectancy

More and more people are suffering from diabetes. This has dramatic consequences: According to a study by an international research team, the life expectancy of the disease is reduced by nine years. According to health experts, about every fifth death is associated with diabetes in Germany. The main cause of the increased mortality in diabetic patients is atherosclerosis (also called arteriosclerosis or arteriosclerosis) and associated complications such as heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease (also known as "smoker's leg"). Researchers at the Medical Faculty of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU) are now identifying a new way to reduce atherosclerotic heart disease in diabetics.

People with diabetes are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The main cause of this is arteriosclerosis. Researchers are working to reduce atherosclerotic heart disease in diabetics. (Image: Printemps / fotolia.com)

Aggravation of vasoconstriction

While the more aggressive course of atherosclerosis in people with diabetes is well known, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, specific approaches to the therapy of atherosclerosis in diabetics are lacking.

An OVGU communication states that aggravation of vasoconstriction is a hallmark of diabetes-associated atherosclerosis despite a marked improvement in blood sugar levels.

This phenomenon, called hyperglycemic memory, is equally disappointing for patients and physicians.

Hyperglycemic memory

According to the statements, scientists headed by Prof. Dr. med. Berend Isermann and dr. Khurrum Shahzad from the Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry of the OVGU and the Magdeburg Health Campus Immunology, Infectiology and Inflammation (GC-I³) has now elucidated a new mechanism underlying hyperglycemic memory.

The researchers found that macrophages (inflammatory cells), which accumulate in the atherosclerotic plaques, increasingly express the redox protein p66Shc, and therefore also increasingly reactive oxygen species (ROS, oxidative stress) are produced in diabetes mellitus.

ROS alters the protein and thus the cell function. Importantly, this protein is specifically expressed only in the macrophages of diabetic mice or diabetic patients.

The expression of p66Shc and thus the formation of reactive oxygen species remained high despite normalization of blood glucose levels. This enabled the experts for the first time to detect a protein that causes hyperglycemic memory.

New therapeutic approaches

The scientists not only identified this new mechanism, but also identified new therapeutic approaches.

Thus, they were able to show that the coagulation protease activated protein C reverses the diabetes-specific changes. This ensures that the newly identified mechanism is therapeutically useful.

The study results were recently published in the journal "Communications Biology".

"The challenge now is to confirm these results in larger clinical trials," says Prof. Isermann.

Dr. Shahzad adds, "In parallel, we will conduct studies to use this mechanism therapeutically."

The researchers hope that these findings lead to an individualized therapy concept for diabetic patients with atherosclerosis. (Ad)