Åsa Tivesten
Fundamental studies for future cardiovascular safe hormone therapy
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer has been shown to increase the risk of heart failure and other types of cardiovascular disease. The overall aim of our project is to understand how treatment that depresses testosterone levels or blocks testosterone receptor molecules can lead to heart disease in men. Through a range of different types of studies, we will investigate which mechanisms and target cells are important. Such fundamental knowledge is needed for the design of future hormone drugs. Our hope is that future hormone therapy will be tailored so that a treatment can be effective against prostate cancer while being gentle on the heart.
References
1. Svedlund Eriksson E, Lantero Rodriguez M, Halvorsen B, Johansson I, Mårtensson AKF, Wilhelmson AS, Huse C, Ueland T, Aukrust P, Broch K, Gullestad L, Amundsen BH, Andersen GØ, Karlsson MCI, Hagberg Thulin M, Camponeschi A, Trompet D, Hammarsten O, Redfors B, Borén J, Omerovic E, Levin MC, Chagin AS, Dahl TB, Tivesten Å.
Testosterone exacerbates neutrophilia and cardiac injury in myocardial infarction via actions in bone marrow.
Nature Communications 2025 Feb 5;16(1):1142
2. Ohlsson C, Nethander M, Norlén AK, Poutanen M, Freyr Gudmundsson E, Aspelund T, Sigurdsson S, Ryberg H, Gudnason V, Tivesten Å.
Serum DHEA and Testosterone Levels Associate Inversely with Coronary Artery Calcification in Elderly Men
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Nov. 17, 2023;108(12):3272-3279
3. Svedlund Eriksson E, Johansson I, Mårtensson AKF, Lantero Rodriguez M, Schilperoort M, Kroon J, Kooijman S, Omerovic E, Andersson L, Levin MC, Rensen PCN, Tivesten Å.
Castration of Male Mice Induces Metabolic Remodeling of the Heart.
Journal of the Endocrine Society. 2022 Sep 1;6(11):bvac132.
4. Wilhelmson AS, Lantero Rodriguez M, Svedlund Eriksson E, Johansson I, Fogelstrand P, Stubelius A, Lindgren S, Fagman JB, Hansson GK, Carlsten H, Karlsson MCI, Ekwall O, Tivesten Å.
Testosterone protects against atherosclerosis in male mice by targeting thymic epithelial cells.
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 2018 Jul;38(7):1519-1527.
5. Ohlsson C, Barrett-Connor E, Bhasin S, Orwoll E, Labrie F, Karlsson MK, Ljunggren O, Vandenput L, Mellström D, Tivesten Å.
High serum testosterone is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular events in elderly men. The MrOS (Osteoporotic Fractures in Men) study in Sweden.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2011); 58(16):1674-81