MSU researcher links cholesterol crystals to cardiovascular attacks

March 27, 2009

EAST LANSING, Mich. - For the first time ever, a Michigan State University researcher has shown cholesterol crystals can disrupt plaque in a patient's cardiovascular system, causing a heart attack or stroke.

The findings by a team led by George Abela, chief of the cardiology division in MSU's College of Human Medicine, could dramatically shift the way doctors and researchers approach cardiovascular attacks. Abela's findings appear in the April issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.

"Any time there is something completely new or unique in medical research, it is met with healthy skepticism," said Abela, who has been working with cholesterol crystals since 2001. "But we have found something that can help dramatically change how we treat heart disease."

What Abela and his team found is that as cholesterol builds up along the wall of an artery, it crystallizes from a liquid to a solid state and then expands.

"As the cholesterol crystallizes, two things can happen," Abela said. "If it's a big pool of cholesterol, it will expand, causing the 'cap' of the deposit to tear off in the arterial wall. Or the crystals, which are sharp, needle-like structures, poke their way through the cap covering the cholesterol deposit, like nails through wood."

The crystals then work their way into the bloodstream. It is the presence of this material, as well as damage to an artery, that disrupts plaque and puts the body's natural defense mechanism - clotting - into action, which can lead to dangerous, if not fatal, clots.

Abela and his team studied coronary arteries and carotid plaques from patients who died of cardiovascular attacks. When comparing their findings against a control group, they found evidence of cholesterol crystals disrupting plaque.

The breakthrough in discovering the crystals' impact came after Abela and colleagues found a new way to preserve tissue after an autopsy, using a vacuum dry method instead of an alcohol solution. The previous method would dissolve the crystals and prevent researchers and doctors from seeing the impact.

Abela also has found that cholesterol crystals released in the bloodstream during a cardiac attack or stroke can damage artery linings much further away from the site of the attack, leaving survivors at even greater risk. The research means health care providers now have another weapon in their arsenal against cardiovascular diseases.

"So far, treatments have not been focused on this process," Abela said. "Now we have a target to attack with the various novel approaches. In the past, we've treated the various stages that lead to this final stage, rather than preventing or treating this final stage of the condition."

In separate research published in the March edition of medical journal Atherosclerosis, Abela and colleagues looked at the physical triggers that can cause cholesterol crystallization. They found that physical conditions such as temperature can play a role in how quickly cholesterol crystallizes and potentially causes a rupture.

###

Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.

Michigan State University

---

---

	Spontaneous cholesterol crystal embolization to bone marrow.(Case Report)(Case study): An article from: Southern Medical Journal by Matthew D. Reuter (Author), Paula J. Chor (Author), Amanda Dehlendorf (Author), Martin A. Alpert (Author) This digital document is an article from Southern Medical Journal, published by Thomson Gale on May 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2476 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Citation Details Title: Spontaneous cholesterol crystal embolization to bone marrow.(Case Report)(Case study) Author: Matthew D. Reuter Publication: Southern Medical Journal (Magazine/Journal) Date: May 1, 2007 Publisher: Thomson Gale Volume: 100 Issue: 5 Page: 533(4) Article Type: Case study Distributed by Thomson...
	Crystals and Stones: A Complete Guide to Their Healing Properties (The Group of 5 Crystals Series) by The Group of 5 (Author) Crystals and Stones: A Complete Guide to Their Healing Properties helps readers to incorporate the healing power of stones into daily life. Aimed at both beginners and experts, the book showcases nearly 200 crystals and stones, describing their impact on human beings' physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states. The book begins with historical background and practical considerations, such as how stones work and how to clean and recharge their energy. The relationship of stones to chakras is explored, as are practices such as channeling via certain powerful crystals. The heart of the book is an A to Z guide covering everything from amber to zoisite that explains which stones are most effective for particular medical conditions, emotional and energy blockages, and spiritual...
	Prevent a Second Heart Attack: 8 Foods, 8 Weeks to Reverse Heart Disease by Janet Bond Brill Ph.D. R.D (Author), Annabelle S. Volgman M.D. (Author) Reverse Your Heart Disease in Just Eight Weeks If you’re one of the 13 million Americans who have survived a heart attack or been diagnosed with heart disease, Dr. Janet Bond Brill offers a delicious and foolproof plan that can lower your risk of a second heart attack by up to 70 percent.  Inspired by the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, the Prevent a Second Heart Attack Plan is based on satisfaction, rather than deprivation.    Backed by cutting edge research, Dr. Brill explains: Why the Mediterranean diet is the gold standard of heart-healthy eatingHow “good carbs” such as oatmeal and popcorn lower bad cholesterol, prevent high blood pressure, and control your weightThe science behind eating fish for heart healthWhy having a glass of red wine with dinner is...
	Smart Light-Responsive Materials: Azobenzene-Containing Polymers and Liquid Crystals by Y. Zhao (Editor), Tomiki Ikeda (Editor) This book reviews the cutting-edge significant research in the field of smart light-responsive materials based on azobenzene polymers and liquid crystals. Emphasis is placed on the discovery of new phenomena from the past 5 years, their underlying mechanisms, new functionalities, and properties achieved through rational design. Edited by leading authorities in the field, Zhao and Ikeda, the chapters are authored by an internationally-recognized team of experts from North America, Europe, and Asia. Smart Light-Responsive Materials will serve to catalyze new research that will lead this field over the next 5-10 years.
	Crystal Structure Analysis for Chemists and Biologists (Methods in Stereochemical Analysis) by Jenny P. Glusker (Author), Mitchell Lewis (Author), Miriam Rossi (Author) The fields of structural chemistry and biochemistry have blossomed in the last seventy years since X-ray diffraction was discovered in 1912. Dorothy Hodgkin, who obtained a Nobel Prize in 1965 for her X-ray diffraction work wrote 'a great advantage of X-ray analysis as a method of chemical structure analysis is its power to show some totally unexpected and surprising structure with, at the same time, complete certainty.' The results of all X-ray diffraction studies are used by chemists and buiochemists but these scientists need to be able to appreciate the significance and extent to which these results may be used. A number of books written for practicing crystallographers cover the theory and applications of X-ray diffraction, but few are of real practical use to non-specialists....
	The Cholesterol Wars: The Skeptics vs the Preponderance of Evidence by Daniel Steinberg (Author) Today, in the era of the statins (cholesterol lowering drugs), there is no longer any doubt about the value of lowering blood cholesterol levels. This book chronicles the controversy that swirled around the 'lipid hypothesis' of atherosclerosis for so many years. In fact, 'the lower the better' is the position of many clinicians. However, getting to this point has been a long uphill battle marked by heated debate and sometimes violent disagreement. The history of this controversy is told here for its own sake and because remembering it may help us avoid similar mistakes in the future. * Dr. Steinberg and his colleagues have published over 400 papers relating to lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis reflecting the prominence...
	The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet by Robb Wolf (Author), Loren Cordain Ph.D. (Foreword) Do you want to lose fat and stay young, all while avoiding cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and a host of other illnesses? The Paleo Solution incorporates the latest, cutting edge research from genetics, biochemistry and anthropology to help you look, feel and perform your best. Written by Robb Wolf, a research biochemist who traded in his lab coat and pocket protector for a whistle and a stopwatch to become one of the most sought after strength and conditioning coaches in the world. With Robb's unique perspective as both scientist and coach you will learn how simple nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes can radically change your appearance and health for the better.
	Variational Theories for Liquid Crystals (Applied Mathematics) by E.G. Virga (Author) Essentially there are two variational theories of liquid crystals explained in this book. The theory put forward by Zocher, Oseen and Frank is classical, while that proposed by Ericksen is newer in its mathematical formulation although it has been postulated in the physical literature for the past two decades. The newer theory provides a better explanation of defects in liquid crystals, especially of those concentrated on lines and surfaces, which escape the scope of the classical theory. The book opens the way to the wealth of applications that will follow.
	Cholesterol Binding and Cholesterol Transport Proteins:: Structure and Function in Health and Disease (Subcellular Biochemistry) by J. Robin Harris (Editor) Knowledge of cholesterol and its interaction with protein molecules is of fundamental importance in both animal and human biology. This book contains 22 chapters, dealing in depth with structural and functional aspects of the currently known and extremely diverse unrelated families of cholesterol-binding and cholesterol transport proteins. By drawing together this range of topics the Editor has attempted to correlate this broad field of study for the first time. Technical aspects are given considerable emphasis, particularly in relation cholesterol reporter molecules and to the isolation and study of membrane cholesterol- and sphingomyelin-rich "raft" domains. Cell biological, biochemical and clinical topics are included in this book, which serve to emphasize the acknowledged and...
	Chirality in Liquid Crystals (Partially Ordered Systems) by Heinz Kitzerow (Editor), Christian Bahr (Editor), S. Chandrasekhar (Editor) Describes the main aspects of chirality in liquid crystals, and points out some of the open questions of current research. The chapters review the highlights of the important topics and questions.