Greater understanding of specialised cell could prevent strokes
Oratie image: CC BY-SA 4.0 - scientificanimations.com
In the Netherlands, 1.7 million people live with cardiovascular disease. In her inaugural lecture, Ilze Bot will explain how she aims to help reduce the prevalence of these diseases. A key focus of her research is mast cells, which protect us from infections but can also make us ill.
Mast cells are part of our immune system. These specialised cells play a critical role in defending us from bacteria and parasites. But they sometimes react to harmless substances like pollen, triggering hay fever. These mast cells also contribute to atherosclerotic plaque instability, which can have severe consequences for patients.
Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of many cardiovascular diseases, one of the leading causes of death in the world. According to the latest figures from the Dutch Heart Foundation, 106 people in the Netherlands die of cardiovascular disease every day. ‘That’s why it’s so important to study the processes underlying the development of unstable atherosclerotic plaques’, says Ilze Bot, Professor of Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a narrowing of the arteries caused by a build-up of lipids and inflammatory cells. ‘These components are covered by a fibrous cap and together these are called a plaque’, says Bot. ‘If the cap ruptures, a blood clot can form that blocks the artery and can lead to a heart attack or stroke.’
Bot and her colleagues are studying why some plaques become unstable and rupture. If they can predict who is at risk, they may be able to prevent strokes. Research by one of Bot’s PhD candidates previously showed that factors released during stress can activate mast cells, making plaques unstable. Bot is investigating other pathways that activate mast cells and how these cells enter the atherosclerotic plaque.
Ready at the hospital
To perform this research, the team is using tissue samples from atherosclerosis patients. Many patients treated for carotid atherosclerosis at the Haaglanden Medical Centre after a stroke donate tissue removed during surgery for research. ‘The samples have to reach the lab quickly’, says Bot. ‘Someone is always on standby at our department to collect them as soon as the hospital calls to say there is going to be an operation.’ In the lab, they study which cells are present in the tissue and analyse the stability of the atherosclerotic plaque.
Patients as partners
For this research, Bot is working with a wide range of experts including researchers, surgeons, nursing staff, data analysts – and patients. ‘I connected with the Council of Patient Experts through the Harteraad organisation’, says Bot. ‘This panel is made up of people with personal experience of cardiovascular diseases and who actively support scientific research. They do so by providing feedback on draft grant proposals from the patient perspective, helping us improve our projects.’
These discussions also help Bot see the bigger picture. ‘As a scientist, I can get caught up in a single mechanism that I have found and want to explore more. As researchers, we want to know and understand everything, but we also need to keep thinking about how our work can truly benefit patients.’
Ilze Bot will give her inaugural lecture ‘Vat op stabiele bloedvaten’ on 17 January at 16 hrs. in the Academy Building.