Some doctors recommend comprehensive treatment strategies that address the cause of disease over the ‘silver bullet’ approach of targeting symptoms.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center researchers have discovered that smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in arteries can behave like cancer cells, worsening atherosclerosis. Their study, published in Circulation, suggests that anticancer drugs could help prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by this condition.
Atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty plaques in arteries, is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. Despite treatments like statins, the prevalence of atherosclerosis-related diseases continues to rise. Research published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine states that atherosclerosis “has now surpassed communicable diseases to become the world’s most prevalent killer.”
“Atherosclerosis has been known as a chronic inflammatory disease for several decades,” Dr. Huize Pan, lead author and assistant professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University, told The Epoch Times. He explained that the new findings offer a fresh perspective by viewing the disease through a cancer lens, potentially identifying new drug targets for prevention and treatment.
Cancer-Like Behavior of Artery Cells
Using advanced techniques on mice and tissue samples from atherosclerosis patients, the researchers aimed to understand how smooth muscle cells in the arteries begin to behave like cancer cells.
The researchers observed significant DNA damage and rapid cell growth in both human and mouse arteries affected by atherosclerosis. “DNA damage is one of the major features of cancer,” said Dr. Pan.
These SMCs displayed several cancer-like traits—they multiplied rapidly, resisted cell death, invaded surrounding areas, and showed increased DNA damage. This DNA damage, typically absent in healthy arteries, was common in atherosclerotic plaques and appeared to worsen the disease.
There was no indication that the cancer-like cells spread. “The cells stay inside existing plaques, which makes us think that they behave mostly like benign tumor cells, but more work needs to be done in humans and animal models to address this hypothesis,” noted Dr. Muredach Reilly, co-author of the study, in a press release.
Using Cancer Drugs for Heart Disease
To test their theory, the researchers treated atherosclerotic mice with niraparib, a cancer drug that targets DNA-damaged cells. Dr. Pan explained that niraparib, a PARP inhibitor helps prevent smooth muscle cells in the arteries from transforming into other cell types. Additionally, it slows the rapid growth of SMCs and the cells derived from them.
By Sheramy Tsai
