German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, 72072 Tübingen, Germany.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Sep 22;117(38):23925-23931. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2011133117. Epub 2020 Sep 8.
Medin is the most common amyloid known in humans, as it can be found in blood vessels of the upper body in virtually everybody over 50 years of age. However, it remains unknown whether deposition of Medin plays a causal role in age-related vascular dysfunction. We now report that aggregates of Medin also develop in the aorta and brain vasculature of wild-type mice in an age-dependent manner. Strikingly, genetic deficiency of the Medin precursor protein, MFG-E8, eliminates not only vascular aggregates but also prevents age-associated decline of cerebrovascular function in mice. Given the prevalence of Medin aggregates in the general population and its role in vascular dysfunction with aging, targeting Medin may become a novel approach to sustain healthy aging.
Medin 是人类最常见的淀粉样蛋白,因为它几乎存在于所有 50 岁以上的人上半身的血管中。然而,Medin 的沉积是否在与年龄相关的血管功能障碍中起因果作用尚不清楚。我们现在报告说,野生型小鼠的主动脉和脑脉管系统中也会随着年龄的增长而形成 Medin 聚集物。引人注目的是,Medin 前体蛋白 MFG-E8 的基因缺失不仅消除了血管聚集物,而且还防止了小鼠与年龄相关的脑血管功能下降。鉴于 Medin 聚集物在普通人群中的普遍性及其在衰老过程中血管功能障碍的作用,针对 Medin 可能成为维持健康衰老的新方法。