Evening star., 1952-05-30
Key Substance Found
In Hardening Of Arteries
Steps Token Toward IsoIotion
OF PIusmu 'Giunt Molecules
By Thomos R. Henry

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By Thomas R. Henry
First progress toward isolating an
elusive something which may be key
substance in hardening of the arteries
was reported today by scientists of the
National Heart Institute here.
Hardening of the arteries is the lead
ing cause of death in the United States
today for all persons over 40.
The National Heart Institute scientists
have succeeded in purifying the key sub
stance fourteenfold from cruoe extract
obtained from blood plaSma.
No claims are made. they emphasize.
that it ever can be used clinically in
stopping, or delaying the progress OF
arteriosclerosis Conceivably it might
eventually lead to long-sought remedy
or preventive.
Complicated Background.
The finding reported today has long
and rather complicated background.
Over the past few years considerable
evidence has accumulated that the dis
ease may be due to the presence in the
blood plasma of so-called giant mole
cules" These are about as big as mole
cules can get in nature. Some OF them
are so big they can be seen under an
optical microscope.
The basis of these molecules. far ex-
ceeding in size any other molecules In
the body, is the fatty material. choles-
terol This is a normal constituent OF
blood plaSma It is present in all animal
fats. 1t is manufactured in the body.
even when no fat is eaten. 1t is essen
tial to the life process.
In some way not understood choles-
terol combines with various other fatty
substances and proteins to form the
giant molecules. These cloud" the blood
stream. 1t cannot be said that there
has been any absolute proof that they
are responsible for artery hardening.
Cause land Effect Theory.
StatiStically, however. a close associa-
ton has been demonstrated. The cause
and-effect theory is accepted by many
physicians.
Some time ago it was reported that
the formation of these molecules could
be stopped. or greatly reduced, by injec-
tions of heparin. an anti-blood clotting
substance produced by the liver. This.
however, worked only in young. healthy
animals. The theory was that it caused
these molecules, once formed or in the
process of forming, to break up and
return to normal.
When heparin was mixed with blood
plasma overloaded with giant molecules
in test tubes. however there was no
effect. This in turn led to the theory
that it was not the heparin alone that
was responsible for the effect but some
So-called clearing factor" produced in
the blood stream by the combination of
heparin with something else.
Here is where the National Heart
Institute team started work. The pres
ent results are reported through the
American Association for the Advance
ment of Science here by Drs. Christian
B. Anfinsen, Edwin Boyle and Ray K.
Brown.
Plasma Fractionized
Tests had shown the high probability
that the combination with heparin to
produce the elusive substance occurred
only in the blood Of the chest and abb
domen, chiefly the heart and lungs.
The present material was produced by
fractionization of blood plasma which
had just passed through heart or lungs.
Used on giant molecules in test-tube
experiments it has shown considerable
potency in causing them to return to
normal.
The material has been purified to the
point where it can be stored for con-
siderable periods. A lot of data has
been accumulated on Its inactivation by
heat and other physical causes.
The implication. Of course, is that
arteriosclerosis may be due to break
down of the body's capacity to produce
this clearing fraction" with increas-
ing age. The work must be considered
as pioneering. it was emphasized. and
still is on the frontiers of medicine.
A great gap still exists between the
experiments and any actual clinical use
of the material.