The Biomechanical Properties of Arterial Elastin With Glucose Effect

Elastin, as one of the major extracellular matrix (ECM) components, is essential to accommodate physiological deformation and provide elastic support for blood vessels. Elastin is a long-lived ECM protein and it can suffer from cumulative effects of exposure to chemical damage, which can greatly compromise its biomechanical properties. The mechanical properties of elastin are related to its microstructure and the chemical environment. Glucose is an important carbohydrate in human body. The effect of glucose on the mechanical properties of blood vessels is especially magnified in diabetic patients [1]. Glucose can directly condense with amino groups of proteins by nonenzymatic glycation, which is one of the main mechanisms of aging [2].