Research led by David Sancho Madrid, head of the Immunobiology Laboratory of the Atherosclerosis New Mechanisms Program at the National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), has been distinguished with the XXII Health Sciences Award from Fundación Caja Rural Granada. The award, endowed with 25,000 euros, recognizes the work titled "Imidazole propionate is a new causative factor and potential therapeutic target in atherosclerosis."
The study addresses atherosclerosis, a disease that begins with the hardening and narrowing of arteries due to the accumulation of inflammatory plaques. These plaques, if ruptured, can lead to thrombi, heart attacks, or strokes. While factors such as high cholesterol, smoking, or hypertension are known, the research points to the existence of other less understood mechanisms, highlighting the influence of the intestinal microbiota on cardiovascular health.
Dr. Sancho's group identified imidazole propionate, a molecule produced by certain intestinal bacteria, which promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques independently of cholesterol. Human studies revealed elevated levels of this molecule in individuals in the early stages of atherosclerosis, even before symptoms appear. In experimental models, it was demonstrated that this metabolite directly contributes to the development of the disease by activating immune cells involved in arterial inflammation, thus establishing a causal relationship.
The award is convened by the Fundación Caja Rural Granada and the Public Andalusian Foundation for the Health Technology Park of Granada. The expert committee comprised representatives from various institutions, including the Faculty of Medicine, the Public Andalusian Foundation for the Health Technology Park of Granada, the CSIC, the College of Physicians of Granada, the College of Pharmacists of Granada, Caja Rural Granada, and the Delegation of Health and Families of the Junta de Andalucía.
