【Animal Modeling】-Bladder drugs are related to atherosclerosis in mice

  Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden stated in a report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that drugs used to treat overactive bladder may promote atherosclerosis in mice. I pointed it out. According to the researchers, the results of the study indicate that in some cases, the drug may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

  Drugs used to treat certain diseases may have other pathophysiological effects. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and colleagues from Shandong University in China have shown that drugs used to treat overactive bladder may be related to atherosclerosis. This substance called Mirabegron stimulates the sympathetic nervous system of the brain to relax the bladder muscles. In a study published on PNAS, the researchers also showed that the substance also affects mouse fat tissue, activates brown fat, and causes white fat to be converted into brown fat. The dose received by animals corresponds to the dose given to humans. The drug is used as an animal model of atherosclerosis because it is administered to mice that lack certain lipid and cholesterol transport molecules (the protein ApoE gene or lipoprotein LDL receptor). I am making changes). It has been found that Mirabegron can promote the growth of atherosclerotic plaques, which is a common cause of heart attacks and strokes. The plaque is no longer stable. Treatment with Mirabegron increases the blood concentration of lipoproteins LDL and VLDL, commonly referred to as "bad" cholesterol, because they cause atherosclerotic plaques. These changes depend on lipolysis (lipolysis) and heat production (heat production) that occur when brown fat is activated. The Ministry of Health said: "We link this drug with atherosclerosis through the mechanism of brown fat, and link it with diseases that affect blood flow in the brain such as cardiovascular disease and stroke." Professor Cao Yihai said. Head the Karolinska Institute of Microbiology, Cancer and Cell Biology.

  This research was done in mice, so the results cannot be directly transferred to humans. However, in view of the recently published research showing that Mirabegron can activate brown fat in the human body, Li Haihai believes that there are reasons to warn. He said: "People with cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis will accelerate and destroy the growth of plaque, so be careful when using this drug."

  "This drug will increase the level of LDL in the blood, so people with mutations that make it difficult for the body to get rid of LDL may be particularly sensitive." However, this hypothesis has been tested in human clinical studies. Point out that it must be done. One in 300-500 mutations in the LDLR gene encode the LDL receptor protein, which normally removes LDL from the blood.