The role of lysyl oxidase family members in the stabilization of abdominal aortic aneurysms

As the population gets older, modern medicine must face a unique set of challenges. One such challenge is abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), which appear in some 4-8 percent of men, rupture in 1-3 percent of men aged 65 and older, and have a mortality rate of approximately 95 percent. While these may seem like small numbers, they will only get larger as this portion of the population grows. The only known treatment at this point in time is surgery, but the surgery can be rather challenging to perform correctly, meaning it is only performed when the risk of rupture is greater than the risk of intervening. However, since the need to find an effective treatment for AAAs grows, researchers are looking into more effective treatment methods so that surgery can be relied upon less as the primary therapy. One such method has to do with the family of enzymes known as lysyl oxidases (LOC). Their primary function is to stabilize matrix components by cross-linking collagen and elastin fibers to create insoluble proteins resistant to proteolytic degeneration. As such, LOX activity has been shown to be essential in the development of elastic vessels. Specifically, in tests on rats, those who were fed the LOX inhibitor β-aminopropionitrile (β-APN) formed aneurysms. However, very little is known about how this actual mechanism plays out, and if treatment methods are to focus on LOX, it is important to learn more.

This was the focus of the study conducted by Remus et al. from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. The research was carried out by feeding mice a high-fat diet and treating them with ANG II and β-APN to limit LOX activity and study the effects on the stability of the cell vessel wall. To do this, the team needed to carefully measure that LOX activity was in fact decreased, something they did using the Amplite Fluorimetric Lysyl Oxidase Assay Kit. This assay kit uses Amplite's proprietary LOX substrate to eliminate any biological interference, producing a sensitive fluorescence that can easily be read and measured. This type of sensitivity cannot be found in similar assay kits and is a big reason why studies like these are able to be carried out with such accuracy.

The results of this research initiative indicate that LOX activity is indeed crucial to vessel stability. This is significant as it opens the door to AAA therapies that work to overexpress LOX enzymes or to promote the cross-linking of soluble proteins. While there is still much research to be done before these treatment options replace the current surgical methods, this represents a significant step forward in the search for a safer and more effective treatment option of AAAs. Part of the reason studies such as this one are even possible is because of the precision and accuracy delivered by the Amplite Fluorimetric Lysyl Oxidase Assay Kit. These results depend on being able to confidently eliminate, or at least seriously limit, the presence LOX enzymes, something that can be done with utmost confidence thanks to the tools provided by Amplite.

References

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1. Remus, Ebony Washington, et al. "The role of lysyl oxidase family members in the stabilization of abdominal aortic aneurysms." American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology 303.8 (2012): H1067-H1075.