Interviews
Unprecedented alliance between U. of Chile and UC makes crucial discovery in the fight against hypertension and heart attacks
Teams of researchers, in which scientists from Spain also participated, Australia and the United States collaborated on a groundbreaking study that could improve the treatment of cardiovascular disease in the future.
According to theWorld Heart Federation, each year they occur about20,5 million deaths percardiovascular disease in the world.This organization believes that33% of all deaths in the world are due to heart disease.
Now, a multidisciplinary collaborative study that included researchers from the Faculties of Sciences, Chemical and Pharmaceutical and Medicine of the University of Chile (UCH), as well as theUniversidad Católica de Chile (PUC), made a crucial finding in the fight against these diseases.
Collaborative research, published in the renowned scientific journal Circulation de la American Heart Association, focused on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), that regulates blood pressure and heart function. The team discovered a peptide called angiotensin-(1-9) [Ang-(1-9)], that counteracts the harmful effects of angiotensin II, responsible for narrowing blood vessels and increased blood pressure.
This discovery was the result of more than two decades of collaborative workby scientists from theAdvanced Center for chronic diseases (ACCDIS). However, one of the main constraints was the rapid degradation of the Ang-(1-9), which complicated its therapeutic applicability. Dr. María Paz Ocaranza, PUC researcher, explains thatThis peptide is crucial for preventing cardiac hypertrophy and lowering blood pressure.
In response to this challenge, the research teams of the UCH and the PUC developed a modified version of Ang-(1-9), known as the Ang-(1-9) [RE-Ang-(1-9)]. This new molecule was designed to be more stable in the human body, thus increasing its therapeutic potential. "Unlike the Ang-(1-9), the RE-Ang-(1-9) shows greater stability under biological conditions", highlights Dr. Ocaranza.
The design of the Ang-(1-9) was based on the replacement of L-series amino acids with their D version, which prevents its degradation in the body. This innovative approach was led by doctors Marcelo Kogan and Sergio Lavandero (UCH), who points out thatDiscovery Could Offer More Effective and Safer Treatmentagainst hypertension and associated cardiovascular damage.
Experimental results have shown that the RE-Ang-(1-9) maintains its therapeutic properties and manages to interact effectively with the AT2R receptor, One of the keys to its effectiveness. This finding was corroborated by molecular modeling and surface plasmon resonance studies, carried out by teams from Chile and the United States.
"The retroenantiomer Ang-(1-9) represents an important advance in the fight against cardiovascular diseases, as it is more stable and secure than its natural version", says Dr. Kogan. This new treatment could overcome the limitations of current therapies, which often have side effects.
What advantages does the Ang-(1-9) ER for human health?
The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) It is key in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular health. According to Dr.. Lavandero, RAS is activated by angiotensin II, a peptide that causes blood vessels to contract and transiently increase blood pressure. However, when this system is chronically dysregulated, can cause hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. Although current treatments, such as enalapril and candesartan, seek to block the action of angiotensin II, Their effectiveness is limited.
The Dra. María Paz Ocaranza, He points out that the available treatments only manage to reduce the cardiovascular damage associated with hypertension by 50%. This therapeutic gap highlights the need to develop more effective alternatives that not only control blood pressure, but also prevent long-term damage to the heart and blood vessels.
So the retroenantiomer Ang-(1-9) [RE-Ang-(1-9)] appears as a promising solution. According to Dr. Ocaranza, This molecule offers greater stability and efficacy than conventional treatments, which could close the gap between current approaches and optimal clinical outcomes. In addition, by presenting fewer side effects, could improve patient adherence to treatment.
Dr. Kogan points out that the RE-Ang-(1-9) not only does it effectively lower blood pressure, but also has the ability toregenerate tissue damage caused by hypertension, something that current treatments cannot achieve. This innovative approach could change the landscape of the fight against cardiovascular disease.
One of the main advantages of the RE-Ang-(1-9) is its greater stability in the body, which makes it more efficient than the natural molecule Ang-(1-9). This not only increases your ability to treat hypertension, but also to prevent serious complications such asmyocardial infarction and heart failure.
The impact of this discovery on public health could be significant. Dr. Kogan points out that the RE-Ang-(1-9) Not only would it improve the treatment of hypertension, but it alsocould reduce cardiovascular complications at the population level, improving the quality of life of patients and relieving the burden on the health system.
This scientific breakthrough represents a new strategy in the fight against high blood pressure, offering a more effective and safer solution than current treatments, with the potential to change the approach to cardiovascular treatment in the country.
When might it be used as a treatment for cardiovascular disease??
Dr. Kogan, explained that, although this scientific breakthrough is a significant achievement, it is still in an early phase.
For Possible Clinical Application, First, it will be necessary to carry out various studies in larger animals and evaluate effectiveness and toxicity. Also, He added that this process is long and to reach its clinical application, significant funding is needed to reach the phase in patients, Concluded.
From left to right: Dr. Marcelo Kogan, DRA. Maria Paz Ocaranza and Dr. Sergio Lavandero.
A recent scientific study has shown that there is a solid talent in Chile to carry out frontier research, focused on solving relevant public health problems, as the ecardiovascular diseases, which are the main cause of mortality both in the country and in the world.
International collaboration was also key, with the support of researchers from thePontifical Catholic University of Valparaiso, the Universidad Andrés Bello, and the Institute of Science and Technology of Barcelona (Spain), Monash University (Australia), University of Texas Medica Branch (Galveston, USA) and the University of Texas Medical Center (Dallas, USA), who managed to pass a rigorous evaluation process of five reviews over two years.