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HERO ID
3336901
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Cytokines in atherosclerosis: Key players in all stages of disease and promising therapeutic targets
Author(s)
Ramji, DP; Davies, TS
Year
2015
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews
ISSN:
1359-6101
Volume
26
Issue
6
Page Numbers
673-685
DOI
10.1016/j.cytogfr.2015.04,003
Web of Science Id
WOS:000366764700007
Abstract
Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the arteries, is responsible for most deaths in westernized societies with numbers increasing at a marked rate in developing countries. The disease is initiated by the activation of the endothelium by various risk factors leading to chemokine-mediated recruitment of immune cells. The uptake of modified lipoproteins by macrophages along with defective cholesterol efflux gives rise to foam cells associated with the fatty streak in the early phase of the disease. As the disease progresses, complex fibrotic plaques are produced as a result of lysis of foam cells, migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and continued inflammatory response. Such plaques are stabilized by the extracellular matrix produced by smooth muscle cells and destabilized by matrix metalloproteinase from macrophages. Rupture of unstable plaques and subsequent thrombosis leads to clinical complications such as myocardial infarction. Cytokines are involved in all stages of atherosclerosis and have a profound influence on the pathogenesis of this disease. This review will describe our current understanding of the roles of different cytokines in atherosclerosis together with therapeutic approaches aimed at manipulating their actions. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords
Atherosclerosis; Cytokines; Chemokines; Inflammation; Therapeutic avenues
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