Unraveling Elastic Fiber-Derived Signaling in Arterial Aging and Related Arterial Diseases
Arterial stiffening is a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and arteriopathy. The destruction of elastic fibers, accompanied by vascular inflammatory remodeling, is a key process in the progression of arterial stiffening a...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Mingyi Wang Kimberly R. McGraw Robert E. Monticone Gianfranco Pintus |
| author_facet | Mingyi Wang Kimberly R. McGraw Robert E. Monticone Gianfranco Pintus |
| author_sort | Mingyi Wang |
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| description | Arterial stiffening is a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and arteriopathy. The destruction of elastic fibers, accompanied by vascular inflammatory remodeling, is a key process in the progression of arterial stiffening and related pathologies. In young, healthy arteries, intact elastic fibers create a resilient microenvironment that maintains the quiescence of arterial cells. However, with advancing age, these elastic fibers undergo post-translational modifications, such as oxidation, glycosylation, and calcification, leading to their eventual degeneration. This degeneration results in the release of degraded peptides and the formation of an inflammatory, stiffened niche. Elastic fiber degeneration profoundly impacts the proinflammatory phenotypes and behaviors of various arterial cells, including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, and mast cells. Notably, the degraded elastic fibers release elastin-derived peptides (EDPs), which act as potent inflammatory molecules. EDPs activate various arterial cellular processes, including inflammatory secretion, cell migration, proliferation, and calcification, by interacting with the elastin receptor complex (ERC). These elastin-related cellular events are commonly observed with aging and in diseased arteries. These findings suggest that the degeneration of the elastic fiber meshwork is a primary event driving arterial inflammation, stiffening, and adverse remodeling with advancing age. Therefore, preserving elastic fibers and blocking the EDP/ERC signaling pathways may offer promising therapeutic strategies for mitigating age-related arterial remodeling and related arterial diseases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-62eea8af281e44bc9314d70ae5f0843f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2218-273X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomolecules |
| spelling | doaj-art-62eea8af281e44bc9314d70ae5f0843f2025-08-20T03:12:20ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2025-01-0115215310.3390/biom15020153Unraveling Elastic Fiber-Derived Signaling in Arterial Aging and Related Arterial DiseasesMingyi Wang0Kimberly R. McGraw1Robert E. Monticone2Gianfranco Pintus3Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USALaboratory of Cardiovascular Science, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USALaboratory of Cardiovascular Science, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USADepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43/B, 07100 Sassari, ItalyArterial stiffening is a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and arteriopathy. The destruction of elastic fibers, accompanied by vascular inflammatory remodeling, is a key process in the progression of arterial stiffening and related pathologies. In young, healthy arteries, intact elastic fibers create a resilient microenvironment that maintains the quiescence of arterial cells. However, with advancing age, these elastic fibers undergo post-translational modifications, such as oxidation, glycosylation, and calcification, leading to their eventual degeneration. This degeneration results in the release of degraded peptides and the formation of an inflammatory, stiffened niche. Elastic fiber degeneration profoundly impacts the proinflammatory phenotypes and behaviors of various arterial cells, including endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, and mast cells. Notably, the degraded elastic fibers release elastin-derived peptides (EDPs), which act as potent inflammatory molecules. EDPs activate various arterial cellular processes, including inflammatory secretion, cell migration, proliferation, and calcification, by interacting with the elastin receptor complex (ERC). These elastin-related cellular events are commonly observed with aging and in diseased arteries. These findings suggest that the degeneration of the elastic fiber meshwork is a primary event driving arterial inflammation, stiffening, and adverse remodeling with advancing age. Therefore, preserving elastic fibers and blocking the EDP/ERC signaling pathways may offer promising therapeutic strategies for mitigating age-related arterial remodeling and related arterial diseases.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/2/153ageelastic fiberselastic laminaearterial cellsarterial remodelingarterial stiffness |
| spellingShingle | Mingyi Wang Kimberly R. McGraw Robert E. Monticone Gianfranco Pintus Unraveling Elastic Fiber-Derived Signaling in Arterial Aging and Related Arterial Diseases Biomolecules age elastic fibers elastic laminae arterial cells arterial remodeling arterial stiffness |
| title | Unraveling Elastic Fiber-Derived Signaling in Arterial Aging and Related Arterial Diseases |
| title_full | Unraveling Elastic Fiber-Derived Signaling in Arterial Aging and Related Arterial Diseases |
| title_fullStr | Unraveling Elastic Fiber-Derived Signaling in Arterial Aging and Related Arterial Diseases |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unraveling Elastic Fiber-Derived Signaling in Arterial Aging and Related Arterial Diseases |
| title_short | Unraveling Elastic Fiber-Derived Signaling in Arterial Aging and Related Arterial Diseases |
| title_sort | unraveling elastic fiber derived signaling in arterial aging and related arterial diseases |
| topic | age elastic fibers elastic laminae arterial cells arterial remodeling arterial stiffness |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/2/153 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mingyiwang unravelingelasticfiberderivedsignalinginarterialagingandrelatedarterialdiseases AT kimberlyrmcgraw unravelingelasticfiberderivedsignalinginarterialagingandrelatedarterialdiseases AT robertemonticone unravelingelasticfiberderivedsignalinginarterialagingandrelatedarterialdiseases AT gianfrancopintus unravelingelasticfiberderivedsignalinginarterialagingandrelatedarterialdiseases |