An international consortium led by Nature reviews molecular and biomechanical drivers of arterial stiffness, integrating evidence on endothelial dysfunction, VSMC changes, and ECM remodeling to inform novel cardiovascular aging interventions.
Key points
- Elevated PWV quantifies arterial elasticity loss and predicts cardiovascular risk.
- ECM degradation and collagen crosslinking reshape vessel structure, driving stiffness.
- VSMC phenotype switching and inflammatory signaling pathways amplify arterial aging.
Why it matters: Mapping molecular and biomechanical drivers of arterial stiffening offers pathways to novel cardiovascular anti-aging treatments.
Q&A
- What is pulse wave velocity (PWV)?
- How does extracellular matrix remodeling contribute to stiffness?
- What triggers vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype switching?
- Why is endothelial dysfunction critical in vascular aging?
- Can arterial stiffness be reversed?