Chinese Research Team Makes New Progress in Vascular Aging Research

                                           Chinese Research Team Makes New Progress in Vascular Aging Research

Source

Harbin Medical University (reported on [date, can be filled as per actual upload time])

Abstract

A research team led by Professor Zhang Yong from the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases at Harbin Medical University, under the guidance of Academician Yang Baofeng of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has innovatively revealed the core role of methyltransferase-like protein 14 (METTL14) in vascular aging. Their findings, published in the international cardiovascular journal European Heart Journal, demonstrate that METTL14 is significantly upregulated in aging vascular endothelial cells. Targeted inhibition of the METTL14/TLR4 signaling pathway is identified as a potential new strategy for intervening in vascular aging and related diseases, providing valuable insights for clinical research on hypertension, thrombotic diseases, and atherosclerosis.

Content

On the 13th, it was learned from Harbin Medical University that the research group led by Professor Zhang Yong, affiliated with the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases at the university and led by Academician Yang Baofeng of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has innovatively revealed the core role of methyltransferase-like protein 14 (METTL14) in vascular aging. The relevant research results have been published in the international cardiovascular journal European Heart Journal.

Vascular aging, characterized by vascular remodeling, hardening, and tissue senescence, is the main pathological basis for inducing hypertension and thrombotic diseases, and the intervention targets for inhibiting vascular aging remain to be explored. Researchers found that METTL14 is significantly upregulated in aging human and mouse aortic endothelial cells, as well as in various aging endothelial cell models. By constructing endothelial cell-specific gene knockout/overexpression METTL14 mouse models and multiple aging models, it was proven that the deletion of endothelial cell METTL14 can significantly improve vascular hardening, vascular remodeling, and endothelial aging.

Mechanistically, this is the first time researchers have clarified that METTL14 enhances the stability of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA by promoting its m6A modification, thereby mediating the production of senescence-associated secretory phenotypes. Clinical studies have found that elevated levels of METTL14 and TLR4 in human blood are positively correlated with the occurrence of vascular aging, atherosclerosis, and arteriosclerosis.

It is reported that this study is the first to reveal the regulatory role of METTL14 in vascular aging, and targeted inhibition of the METTL14/TLR4 signaling pathway is a potential new strategy for intervening in vascular aging and related diseases.