Interaction of Angiotensin II and PPARg in aortic aneurysm formation

60岁以上的男性有5%到10%，女性有1%，他们的腹主动脉变弱，导致血管缓慢扩张。如果这一过程长期持续，动脉可能破裂，导致猝死。目前，对于这一问题的唯一治疗方法是手术，要么是开放的，要么是微创的。这两种治疗方式都与严重的并发症有关，不适合某些患者。因此，开发一种可以减缓或阻止主动脉变弱和扩张的药物治疗方法将对患者产生巨大的好处。我们已经确定了一种新发现的蛋白质在腹主动脉变弱中的重要作用。在这项研究中，我们研究了一条似乎是产生这种蛋白质的基本途径的作用。特别是，我们将评估药物治疗在阻断这一通路方面的作用，以此作为动脉变弱的药物治疗的基础。

Between 5% to 10% of men and 1% of women over the age of 60 years develop weakening of their main abdominal artery leading to slow dilation of the vessel. If this process continues long term the artery can burst resulting in sudden death. At present the only treatment available for this problem is surgery, either open or minimally invasive. Both these forms of treatment are associated with significant complications and unsuitable for some patients. Thus the development of a drug treatment which can slow or halt the weakening and dilation of the aorta would have great patient benefits. We have identified an important role for a newly discovered protein in weakening of the abdominal aorta. In this study we investigate the role of a pathway which appears to be fundamental in generating this protein. In particular we will assess the role of drug treatment in blocking this pathway as a basis for medical treatment for artery weakening.