Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Every 10 minutes a Canadian has a stroke, killing more women than men. Strokes are caused by a build-up of fatty deposits (plaques) in the neck arteries that can break-off and travel to the brain. We only know if a plaque is dangerous when it is removed by surgery and examined under the microscope. Often this is too late as the person may have already had a stroke. Men have more dangerous plaques than women. Thus, it is important that research focuses on identifying molecules that contribute to making a plaque dangerous and understanding the sex differences that exist. Current knowledge: 1) Cells in plaques, called macrophages (Mfs), can make the plaque more dangerous. Monocytes in the blood will enter the plaque and transform into Mfs. 2) Adiponectin is a protein in the body that may protect our arteries from developing dangerous plaques. Adiponectin works like a key that must attach to its lock (receptors). Research goals: To 1) examine sex differences in adiponectin receptors and sex hormone receptors on blood monocytes from men and women with dangerous and harmless plaques, 2) measure circulating adiponectin and sex hormones in the blood to determine whether they can act as sex-specific markers to predict dangerous plaques. Methods: Women and men who underwent surgery to remove the dangerous or harmless plaques from their neck arteries were recruited for participation in the study. Advanced lab methods were used to a) measure adiponectin/ sex hormone receptors on blood monocytes of men and women, c) measure adiponectin and sex hormones in the blood. Impact: We identified sex differences in circulating adiponectin and adiponectin/ sex hormone receptors, which may contribute to the development of dangerous plaques in women and men. These findings can help identify: 1) markers that predict dangerous plaques, and 2) new targets of therapy, that may result in patient care that is specific to women and to men. Ultimately, this could prevent strokes and save lives!