Grant: Catalyst Grant: Pilot Projects in Aging

Premature aging of blood vessels predisposes to high blood pressure, heart failure, kidney disease, dementia and alzheimers disease. Molecular mechanisms that cause early aging of blood vessels is unclear. We propose that tiny particles, called microparticles, derived from damaged cells in blood vessels contribute to vascular changes associated with aging. If we can prove that microparticles are indeed sources of toxic and damaging products (reactive oxygen species) that cause injury to blood vessels leading to accelerated aging, then strategies to target microparticle-derived reactive oxygen species could be useful in preventing or treating early aging of blood vessels thereby preventing chronic cardiovascular disease, dementia and alzheimers disease