HPV infection as a risk factor for atherosclerosis: A connecting hypothesis

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2020

Autores

D. R. A. Reis (Autor) Outra; B. Medeiros Fonseca (Autor) Outra; J. M. Costa (Autor) Outra; C. P. de Oliveira Neto (Autor) Outra; R. M. Gil da Costa (Autor) Outra; P. A. Oliveira (Autor) Outra; Rui Medeiros (Autor) ICBAS; Margarida M. S. M. Bastos (Autor) FEUP; H. O. Brito (Autor) Outra; L. M. O. Brito (Autor) Outra

Revista

Título: Medical Hypotheses

Vol. 144

Páginas: 1-6

ISSN: 0306-9877

Editora: Elsevier

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 8 Citações

Scopus - 8 Citações

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-00S-BBF

DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109979

Abstract (EN): Atheromatous plaques occurring in large arteries are common and life-threatening lesions. Multiple factors are involved in the pathogenesis of atheromatous plaques, such as hyperlipidaemia and hypercholesterolaemia, high blood pressure and chronic systemic inflammation. Recent findings have suggested that infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) may increase the risk of developing atheromatous plaques. However, HPV is considered a tissue-specific virus with a strong tropism towards squamous epithelial cells, and the mechanisms whereby it may promote the development of atheromas remain unclear. Here, we propose a connecting hypothesis to explain the possible causative role of HPV on atheroma development. We hypothesize that HPV infection may promote atheroma formation in infected patients by enhancing systemic inflammation or by directly targeting blood vessels via nucleic acids carried by extracellular vesicles such as exosomes. The pro-inflammatory effects of HPV and the release of extracellular vesicles by HPV-transformed cells are well documented in scientific literature. Possible experimental approaches to test this hypothesis are also discussed, especially experiments employing transgenic mice bearing HPV16 transgenes. If correct, this hypothesis would have major implications for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, especially due to the preventable nature of HPV infection through vaccination.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 6