Atherosclerosis could be treated through a radically different method than currently employed today, following new research into the dangerous condition.

Smooth muscle cells were once believed to prevent plaque from dislodging in blood vessels. Now, it appears they exacerbate the problem, leading to the growth of plaque in the circulatory system.

Plaque growths within blood were found to contain smooth muscle cells, which could increase the danger from the dangerous deposits. Once believe to "wall off" dying cells and fats, investigators found a greater number of these cells in plaque buildups than were seen protecting the body.

"We suspected there was a small number of smooth muscle cells we were failing to identify using the typical immunostaining detection methods. It wasn't a small number. It was 82 percent," said Gary Owens from the University of Virginia.

Smooth muscle cells in mice were genetically tagged, and researchers studied them as the rodents developed atherosclerosis. These cells quickly integrated into the plaques, increasing health risks to the animals.

Researchers also identified a gene, Klf4, that appears to play a significant role in the development of plaque deposits. When researchers shut this gene down in the test mice, the size of their plaque deposits significantly decreased. Researchers state there is no evidence the total number of plaque cells decreased, however, as the total size of the buildups was the only characteristic that could be shown to change.

Atherosclerosis, commonly known as "hardening of the arteries," is the leading cause of death around the globe. More than three million Americans are diagnosed with the condition each year. These plaques can rupture, which can lead to fatalities when these events occur in one of the coronary arteries.

"Once a plaque ruptures, it can induce formation of a large clot that can block blood flow to the downstream regions. This is what causes most heart attacks. The clot can also dislodge and cause a stroke if it lodges in a blood vessel in the brain. As such, understanding what controls the stability of plaques is extremely important," Owens said.

This research, if confirmed by future studies, could lead to a new generation of treatment methods for the often-fatal condition. Smooth muscle cells, once thought of as good for the health of patients, has now been shown to have actions both benefiting and harming human life. Gene therapy could be developed from this study, targeting these specific cells.

Analysis of the role of smooth muscle cells in the development of plaque deposits was published in the journal Nature Medicine.

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