A University of Alberta-led research team has uncovered a surprising interaction between proteins in the blood, offering new understanding of a major cause of heart attack.
Apolipoprotein A1 (APO-A1) is the main protein in high-density lipoprotein, also known as “good” cholesterol because it removes “bad” cholesterol, protecting arteries against the buildup of plaque.
The team discovered that APO-A1 also binds directly to the enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), which can weaken plaques and make them more likely to rupture.
They found that APO-A1 keeps MMP2 from breaking itself down and, at the same time, increases MMP2 activity.
The team used artificial intelligence-based modelling to predict how these interactions occur, and laboratory tests on blood from mice and humans to confirm them.
“New knowledge derived from this research could stimulate the identification of new biomarkers of risk or therapies to treat atherosclerosis and arterial thrombosis,” says principal investigator and biochemistry professor Carlos Fernandez-Patron.
The researchers intend to continue work to determine whether this newly uncovered process exacerbates or reduces the chances of plaque rupture.
More than 2.6 million Canadian adults live with diagnosed heart disease, and it is the second leading cause of death, according to Health Canada.