Highlights:
- Abdominal aortic
aneurysm is a condition in which the aorta becomes enlarged
- A ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm can result in life-threatening
bleeding and death
- A low-calorie diet may reduce the risk
of developing abdominal aortic aneurysm, claims a study conducted in mice
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is the
enlargement of the main artery, which could be fatal when it ruptures. A new
study found that mice put on a
low-calorie diet were
less likely to develop abdominal aortic aneurysms. The study suggests that
low-calorie diet could be the new way to prevent the often fatal condition in
humans.
Low-Calorie Diet and Risk of Abdominal Aortic
Aneurysm
It is known that a
low-calorie diet offers numerous health benefits due to a positive effect on
body's metabolism. A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical
Sciences and the Peking Union Medical College conducted a study on mice to see
whether a calorie-restricted diet can reduce the risk of AAA. The study was led
by researchers Hou-Zao Chen and De-Pei Liu.
‘A low-calorie diet can offer protection against abdominal aortic aneurysm by up-regulating a metabolic sensor protein called SIRT1.’
Mice were divided into
two groups. For a period of 12 weeks, mice in group one received a low-calorie
diet, whereas mice in the control group received a normal diet. At the end of
12 weeks, the findings showed that mice that were placed on a low-calorie diet
were less likely to develop aneurysms than mice in the control group that
received a normal diet. The researchers also observed that mice on low-calorie
group showed lower rates of AAA rupture and death.
A low-calorie diet
reduced the levels of MMP2, an enzyme that degrades the protein matrix
surrounding the blood vessels. After 12-weeks of a low-calorie diet, the
vascular smooth muscle cells in the wall of the aorta up-regulated a metabolic
sensor protein called SIRT1. The protein SIRT1 can epigenetically suppress
genes, including MMP2. The findings of the mice study showed that low-calorie
diet did not reduce MMP2 expression and the incidence of AAA in mice whose
vascular smooth muscle cells lack SIRT1. The study showed that
low-calorie
diet reduced the risk of developing AAA in mice by up-regulating a metabolic
sensor protein called SIRT1.
"Our findings support
the benefit of a calorie-restricted lifestyle for AAA prevention in humans, and
suggest that SIRT1 could be a promising molecular target for the treatment of
AAA," says De-Pei Liu. The study is published in
The Journal of
Experimental Medicine.
Abdominal Aortic
Aneurysm
AAA is the enlargement
of the aorta in the abdomen. The aorta is the main artery that supplies blood
to the abdomen, pelvis and legs. AAA is caused by a weakening of the blood
vessel wall. The normal size of the abdominal aorta is 2cm, but it can swell up
to 5.5cm (large AAA). If a large aneurysm ruptures, it causes internal
bleeding, which is often fatal.
Over 3 million cases of
AAA are reported in the United States. It is important to prevent the
development of AAA because rupture of an aneurysm can increase the risk of
death by 80 percent.
Risk Factors of AAA
AAA is more likely to
occur in men over the age of 60 years. Other risk factors include
- Smoking
- Overweight or obese
- Family history
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol levels
- High
blood pressure
- Sedentary lifestyle
Steps to Prevent AAA
- Eat a heart-healthy
diet
- Quit smoking
- Exercise
regularly
- Maintain normal blood
pressure
- Go for regular health check-up
Ways to prevent AAA
- Eat healthy
- Quit
smoking
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain
normal blood pressure
References:
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm - Introduction
- (http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Repairofabdominalaneurysm/Pages/Introduction.aspx)
- Learn More About Abdominal Aortic
Aneurysm - (https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000162.htm)
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm - Overview -
(http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm/home/ovc-20197858)
Source: Medindia
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