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The Role of Macrophages in Atherosclerosis: Participants and Therapists

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Abstract

Currently, atherosclerosis, characterized by the dysfunction of lipid metabolism and chronic inflammation in the intimal space of the vessel, is considered to be a metabolic disease. As the most abundant innate immune cells in the body, macrophages play a key role in the onset, progression, or regression of atherosclerosis. For example, macrophages exhibit several polarization states in response to microenvironmental stimuli; an increasing proportion of macrophages, polarized toward M2, can suppress inflammation, scavenge cell debris and apoptotic cells, and contribute to tissue repair and fibrosis. Additionally, specific exosomes, generated by macrophages containing certain miRNAs and effective efferocytosis of macrophages, are crucial for atherosclerosis. Therefore, macrophages have emerged as a novel potential target for anti-atherosclerosis therapy. This article reviews the role of macrophages in atherosclerosis from different aspects: origin, phenotype, exosomes, and efferocytosis, and discusses new approaches for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

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This work was supported by the “Topping Up Project” of First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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  1. First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China

    Xiaoyu Liu, Shuchao Pang, Yangyang Jiang, Lixin Wang & Yi Liu

  2. National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China

    Xiaoyu Liu, Shuchao Pang, Yangyang Jiang, Lixin Wang & Yi Liu

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XL and SP contributed to the conception of and writing of the manuscript. YJ and LW contributed to the analysis and revision of the manuscript. SP and YL helped perform the analysis with constructive discussions.

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Liu, X., Pang, S., Jiang, Y. et al. The Role of Macrophages in Atherosclerosis: Participants and Therapists. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10557-023-07513-5

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