New therapeutic strategy for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm

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The mitochondrial-targeted SS-31 peptide has the ability to limit vascular remodeling that leads to the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This is the main conclusion of the study published in the scientific journal British Journal of Pharmacology.

AAA is a degenerative disease that affects 6-9% of men older than 65 years. It is a condition in which the abdominal aorta, the main artery that supplies blood to the abdomen and legs, becomes dilated and weakened. As the aneurysm grows, the risk of it rupturing increases, which can cause life-threatening internal bleeding.

“Until now, there is no effective drug treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysm. However, this work reveals a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of this disease”, explains Cristina Rodríguez, one of the researchers who led the study.

The results show that treatment with the SS-31 peptide limits mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress (which involves an alteration in protein synthesis and leads to the production of defective proteins) and vascular oxidative stress in an experimental model. of the illness. “This results in a decrease in the incidence and severity of AAA, a reduction in aortic diameter and mortality, as well as an improvement in multiple processes associated with aneurysm development, such as less inflammation and improvement in the integrity of the extracellular matrix. ”, adds María Galán Arroyo a, co-author of the study and researcher at the URJC and the IIB Sant Pau.

Previous clinical studies have also shown the efficacy of SS-31 in the treatment of other diseases. For example, the SS-31 peptide has been shown to be effective in reducing brain damage after stroke and improving heart function in patients with heart failure.

This new work suggests that SS-31 could be an interesting therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AAA. “Our results represent an important advance in the research on the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm and brings us one step closer to finding an effective cure for this disease”, emphasizes Dr. Galán.

The study has been led by María Galán and Cristina Rodríguez, researchers at the Research Institute of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), from the group of the Cardiovascular Diseases Area (CIBERCV), directed by José Martínez González (Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona - CSIC), with the collaboration of a team from the CIBER Area of ​​Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CYBERDEM) and of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.