Key result
Dill extract reduces aortic elastic lamella disruptions ~33% and reverses cardiac hypertrophy in aged mice.
Why the study?
Normal vascular aging leads to elastic fiber degradation and arterial stiffening, but whether dill extract, which stimulates elastin production in vitro, improves aortic structure and function in vivo was unknown.
Does dill extract improve elastic fiber neosynthesis and arterial function in aged mice?
Does dill extract improve elastic fiber neosynthesis and arterial function in aged mice?
p-value: p=≤0.05
Dill extract promotes elastic fiber neosynthesis and improves aortic biomechanical properties in aged mice, suggesting potential as an anti-aging cardiovascular therapy.
Elastic fibers (90% elastin, 10% fibrillin-rich microfibrils) are synthesized only in early life and adolescence mainly by the vascular smooth muscle cells through the cross-linking of its soluble precursor, tropoelastin. Elastic fibers endow the large elastic arteries with resilience and elasticity. Normal vascular aging is associated with arterial remodeling and stiffening, especially due to the end of production and degradation of elastic fibers, leading to altered cardiovascular function. Several pharmacological treatments stimulate the production of elastin and elastic fibers. In particular, dill extract (DE) has been demonstrated to stimulate elastin production in vitro in dermal equivalent models and in skin fibroblasts to increase lysyl oxidase–like-1 (LOXL-1) gene expression, an enzyme contributing to tropoelastin crosslinking and elastin formation. Here, we have investigated the effects of a chronic treatment (three months) of aged male mice with DE (5% or 10% v/v, in drinking water) on the structure and function of the ascending aorta. DE treatment, especially at 10%, of aged mice protected pre-existing elastic lamellae, reactivated tropoelastin and LOXL-1 expressions, induced elastic fiber neo-synthesis, and decreased the stiffness of the aging aortic wall, probably explaining the reversal of the age-related cardiac hypertrophy also observed following the treatment. DE could thus be considered as an anti-aging product for the cardiovascular system.
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Fhayli et al. (2020) studied Vascular aging and age-dependent cardiac hypertrophy (n=38). Dill extract vs. Untreated tap water was evaluated on Elastic lamella disruptions (p=≤0.05). A three-month treatment with 10% dill extract in aged male mice reduced aortic elastic lamella disruptions by 33%, induced elastic fiber neosynthesis, and reversed age-dependent cardiac hypertrophy.
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