Přispěvatelé: |
Rensen, P.C.N., Kooijman, S., Schönke, M., Willems van Dijk, J.A.P., Eck, M. van, Kalsbeek, A., Kersten, S., Leiden University |
Popis: |
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading mortality cause. Its largest underlying issue is atherosclerosis: arterial narrowing due to the buildup of cholesterol, lipids, and immune cells. High blood pressure and cholesterol levels are well-known risk factors. Despite the effectiveness of currently-available medication to improve these factors, a considerable residual risk remains, indicating the importance of other risk factors, such as age and sex. Women have a lower risk of developing CVD than men at a young age, which reverses at older age. CVD are also more common among night shift workers. The research described in this thesis used mouse models to provide new insight in the interplay between sex, age, and disturbances in day and night rhythms in atherosclerosis development, and emphasize the importance of including both men and women in scientific studies. Brown fat is one of the tissues adversely affected by disturbances in day and night rhythms and aging, and the ANGPTL4 protein was identified as an important regulator of brown fat. Inhibiting ANGPTL4 production selectively in liver cells appears a safe and promising therapeutic strategy to combat atherosclerosis. The findings also imply that time-restricted eating could be an effective tool in lowering CVD risk in shift workers. |