Work

Accelerated atherosclerosis in beta-thalassemia

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: This work definitively shows for the first time that beta-thalassemia leads to accelerated atherosclerosis. We demonstrated that intravascular hemolysis is a prominent feature in beta-thalassemia and the resulting increases in free heme are mechanistically relevant. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-hemopexin therapy led to decreased free heme and atherosclerotic plaque area in both beta-thalassemia and phenylhydrazine-treated mice. Deferiprone-mediated iron chelation led to deceased plaque accumulation in beta-thalassemia mice but provided no additive benefit to hemopexin therapy.

Source: American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology

DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00306.2023