Losartan shows promise for Marfan syndrome aneurysm
Losartan could prove to be an effective treatment for preventing aortic aneurysms in people with Marfan syndrome, a hereditary disorder that causes defects in the body's connective tissue.
Researchers used a mouse-model of the disease to show that the formation
of aortic aneurysms is accompanied by excessive activity of the signalling
protein transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and could be prevented
by blocking this molecule.
They went on to treat 15 mice with losartan, which can block TGF-beta
signalling, comparing its effects with those for placebo and propanolol,
which is
already used to alleviate the condition’s symptoms by slowing the
rate of aortic growth. A fourth group of mice without Marfan syndrome
served as a healthy comparison group.
After six months of treatment, examination of the aorta showed no apparent
differences between losartan-treated Marfan mice and those without the
disease.
Researcher Harry Dietz, of the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic
Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, said: “In
essence, the cardiovascular system in the Marfan mice was cured, while
treatment with the beta-blocker simply slowed the rate of aortic growth
but did not prevent aortic pathology.”
A trial of losartan in people with Marfan syndrome is expected to start
later this year.
The data are published in Science (2006;312:117). |
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