Targeted drug carriers reduced artery calcium buildup in mice
Tiny carriers delivered two cell-clearing drugs in two mouse models, improving survival and avoiding blood-cell side effects associated with dasatinib given without carriers.
Limit: The abstract gave no sample sizes, doses, or treatment durations
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Researchers tested tiny drug carriers in experiments using two mouse models of calcium buildup in artery walls. The carriers targeted a surface protein on senescent vascular smooth muscle cells—artery-wall muscle cells that had stopped dividing. They contained the drugs dasatinib and quercetin.
The targeted carriers cleared senescent cells, reduced calcium buildup and improved survival. They also reduced damage in the heart, bone marrow and spleen, and improved body weight and activity. The carriers avoided two side effects associated with dasatinib given without carriers: low platelets, which help blood clot, and low neutrophils, infection-fighting white blood cells. The targeted protein was more abundant on senescent and calcified muscle cells.
Why it matters
Cell senescence is implicated in age-related cardiovascular disease. This work may inform efforts to develop drugs that clear senescent cells for a broader range of these diseases.
Caveats
The targeted-carrier results came from mouse experiments reported in a conference abstract, which gave no sample sizes, doses or treatment durations. The targeting molecule was specific to the mouse protein; these results do not establish benefits or safety in people.
