Elastin degradation and collagenous stiffening in aortic aging

Elastin degradation might be the set point to aortic stiffening, or it rather renders a good explanation to the phenomena of aortic stiffening. Vascular cells have the ability to produce new elastin in mature arterial walls in response to disease or injury, however, the process in not effective. Studies have suggested that elastin production and cross-linking during development provides a highly elastic material that remembers its biological preferred state, a set point. Degradation of elastin on the other hand, leads to an increase in vascular radius and decrease in passive wall stiffness, this triggers the systems to self adjustment. There is increased production of collagen, which increases stiffness. Aortic stiffness and elastin loss is a characteristic hypertension and aging.

The researchers have developed a computational model that predicts that the gradual removal of elastin and reduction in vasoactivity initiates a complex growth and remodeling sequence that results in differential growth within the arterial wall, that is, a loss of elastin when couple with the compensatory mechanism of increase collagen increase aortic stiffness and raise systolic and pulse pressure increase.

This was an interesting article as it gives a possible justification to a set point definition to vascular adaptative growth and remodeling.

Christine Otieno

VTPP 435-501