Les fibres élastiques : un régulateur du vieillissement normal ou pathologique des vaisseaux sanguins élastiques

Ageing of blood vessels includes a series of events affecting both the cells and the extracellular matrix of the vascular wall. Normal ageing features the appearance of multiple degenerative processes, such as: arterial stiffening due to the elastic fibre fragmentation and collagen accumulation in the wall, progressive cross-linking of collagen fibres, and vasomotricity dysregulation due to the dysfunction of smooth muscle and endothelial cells. Pathological ageing, i.e. only affecting a part of the population, can have consequences in the whole organism, such as in hypertension, or have more local effects, such as in aneurysms, atherosclerosis and varicosis. Several studies suggest that the vascular ageing pattern could also be related to the initial state of the vascular system. In particular, it has been shown that the structural and functional modifications of the arterial wall resulting from elastin deficiency can finally modify the normal ageing processes. Early elastin expression thus appears as a regulator of arterial ageing. The cardiovascular function of the adult and its evolution during ageing, as well as the susceptibility to develop cardiovascular pathologies, closely depends on the initial conditions and, in particular, the good achievement of elastogenesis. These aspects will probably have to be taken into account in future therapeutical strategies.