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Pro-Inflammatory Genetic Markers of Atherosclerosis

  • Genetics (AJ Marian, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Atherosclerosis Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic, progressive, multifactorial disease mostly affecting large and medium-sized elastic and muscular arteries. It has formerly been considered a bland lipid storage disease. Currently, multiple independent pathways of evidence suggest this pathological condition is a peculiar form of inflammation, triggered by cholesterol-rich lipoproteins and influenced both by environmental and genetic factors. The Human Genome Project opened up the opportunity to dissect complex human traits and to understand basic pathways of multifactorial diseases such as AS. Population-based association studies have emerged as powerful tools for examining genes with a role in common multifactorial diseases that have a strong environmental component. These association studies often estimate the risk of developing a certain disease in carriers and non-carriers of a particular genetic polymorphism. Dissecting out the influence of pro-inflammatory genes within the complex pathophysiology of AS and its complications will help to provide a more complete risk assessment and complement known classical cardiovascular risk factors. The detection of a risk profile will potentially allow both the early identification of individuals susceptible to disease and the possible discovery of potential targets for drug or lifestyle modification; i.e. it will open the door to personalized medicine.

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Acknowledgments

GA is PhD student of Pathobiology PhD course (directed by Prof Calogero Caruso) at Palermo University, and this paper is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for her PhD degree.

Conflicts of Interest

Egle Incalcaterra declares that she has no conflicts of interest.

Giulia Accardi declares that she has no conflicts of interest.

Carmela Rita Balistreri declares that she has no conflicts of interest.

Gregorio Caimi declares that he has no conflicts of interest.

Giuseppina Candore declares that she has no conflicts of interest.

Marco Caruso declares that he has no conflicts of interest.

Calogero Caruso declares that he has no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Università di Palermo, Via Del Vespro 127, 90129, Palermo, Italy

    Egle Incalcaterra & Gregorio Caimi

  2. Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche e Forensi, Università di Palermo, Corso Tukory 211, 90134, Palermo, Italy

    Giulia Accardi, Carmela Rita Balistreri, Giuseppina Candore & Calogero Caruso

  3. Unità Operativa di Cardiologia, A.R.N.A.S. Civico, Piazza N. Leotta 4, 90127, Palermo, Italy

    Marco Caruso

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  1. Egle Incalcaterra
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  2. Giulia Accardi
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  3. Carmela Rita Balistreri
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  5. Giuseppina Candore
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  7. Calogero Caruso
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Correspondence to Calogero Caruso.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Genetics

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Incalcaterra, E., Accardi, G., Balistreri, C.R. et al. Pro-Inflammatory Genetic Markers of Atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 15, 329 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-013-0329-5

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