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This week on Healthwatch, we've been talking about the heart and related topics. Previously, we talked about a positive benefit of cholesterol in cells. But when cholesterol builds into artery-clogging plaques, it becomes dangerous. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center recently found that the body's immune system plays a role in plaque buildup.
Microphages circulate in the blood stream, helping the body fight off infections and foreign substances, but
Dr. Toru Miyazaki, a UT Southwestern immunologist, says they go on to encourage a buildup of fats inside arteries. That buildup narrows arteries, restricting blood flow, and if pieces of plaque break off, it can clog arteries and lead to heart attack or stroke. Researchers found that inhibiting the function that protects microphages can help prevent plaque buildup.
Next: your role in community heart health.
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April 2005
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