DIMES-Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
DIMES-Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Unit of Vascular Surgery, Policlinico S. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
Ageing Res Rev. 2020 Aug;61:101090. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101090. Epub 2020 May 28.
Atherosclerosis is considered a chronic inflammatory disease of arteries associated with the aging process. Many risk factors have been identified and they are mainly related to life-styles, gene-environment interactions and socioeconomic status. Carotid and coronary artery diseases are the two major atherosclerotic conditions, being the primary cause of stroke and heart attack, respectively. Nevertheless, carotid plaque assumes particular aspects not only for the specific molecular mechanisms, but also for the types of atheroma which may be associated with a better or a worst prognosis. The identification of circulating blood biomarkers able to distinguish carotid plaque types (stable or vulnerable) is a crucial step for the improvement of adequate therapeutic approaches avoiding or delaying endarterectomy in the oldest old individuals (> 80 years), a population predicted to growth in the next years. The review highlights the most recent knowledge on carotid plaque molecular mechanisms, focusing on microRNAs (miRs), as a site-specific accelerated aging within the conceptual framework of Geroscience for new affordable therapies.
动脉粥样硬化被认为是一种与衰老过程相关的慢性动脉炎症性疾病。已经确定了许多危险因素，它们主要与生活方式、基因-环境相互作用和社会经济地位有关。颈动脉和冠状动脉疾病是两种主要的动脉粥样硬化疾病，分别是中风和心脏病发作的主要原因。然而，颈动脉斑块不仅具有特定的分子机制，而且还具有与更好或更差预后相关的动脉粥样硬化类型，这一点尤为重要。鉴定能够区分颈动脉斑块类型（稳定或易损）的循环血液生物标志物，是改善适当治疗方法的关键步骤，可以避免或延迟对年龄最大的老年人（>80 岁）进行颈动脉内膜切除术，预计未来几年这一人群将会增长。本综述重点介绍了颈动脉斑块分子机制的最新知识，特别是 microRNAs（miRs），作为衰老科学新概念框架内的特定部位加速衰老，为新的经济实惠的治疗方法提供了依据。
