Featured IAS Commentaries
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are not a substitute or replacement for medical advice. If
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a physician or other medical professional. The views expressed
in these Commentaries are those of the authors and are not
necessarily those of IAS.
Aging, Insulin Resistance, and Cognition
Author: Ahmet Turan Isik, M.D.
As the world population has aged, dementia
has become a common diagnosis in aging populations and the
numbers will increase in the forthcoming years. Now in the
US about 4.5 million people are affected by Alzheimer’s
disease (AD) alone. It is important for clinicians to recognize
early signs and symptoms of dementia and to note potentially
modifiable risk factors and early disease markers.
View Abstract
The Sphingolipid Analogue FTY720 (Fingolimod)
Interferes with Cholesterol Metabolism and Lymphocyte Homeostasis
in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice
Author: Roland Klingenberg, M.D.
Sphingolipid signaling and metabolism have attracted
considerable interest in vascular biology in the recent past.
Sphingolipids colocalize with cholesterol in plasma membrane
microdomains (lipid rafts) and are involved in key cellular
functions such as cell proliferation and apoptosis, cell differentiation,
cell migration, and immunological responses. Sphingosine constitutes
the common backbone of several distinct sphingolipid species.
Bioactive sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) promotes distinct effects
via binding to G-protein coupled surface receptors (S1P1-5
receptors) comprising modulation of immune cell migration,
macrophage differentiation, angiogenesis, vascular integrity,
and enhancing eNOS-induced vasodilatation [1-3].
View Abstract
An Intriguing Genetic
Association between a Tumor Suppressor Locus, Coronary Artery
Disease and Diabetes
Author: M. Farrall
Cases of coronary artery disease (CAD) often
cluster in families which, backed up by concordance studies
of monozygous and dizygous twins, supports the hypothesis that
CAD is a multifactorial condition with an important heritable
component. Researchers have subsequently expended much effort
in attempts to map specific variants that influence susceptibility
to CAD, mostly through the application of the “candidate
gene” paradigm. Recent advances in genotyping technology
that facilitate the study of hundreds of thousands of genetic
markers allow geneticists to greatly expand the scope of their
searches for susceptibility genes.
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Apolipoprotien(a) Isoforms and Lipoprotein(a)
as Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis
Authors: K. Tosheska, D.
Labudovic, S. Alabakovska, M. Spiroski, B. Todorova
A detailed study of specific lipoprotein parameters
is necessary in individuals at high risk of coronary heart
disease (CHD). During the last two decades, attention has been
focused on identification of new risk factors (such as genetic
risk factors) in these individuals. One potential risk factor
that has been extensively studied is lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)].
It is well documented, that Lp(a) accumulates in the arterial
wall at the sites of atherosclerotic lesions [1].
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