Vascular smooth muscle cells enhance immune/vascular interplay in a 3-cell model of vascular inflammation.

ABSTRACT: Atherosclerosis is a serious cardiovascular disease that is characterised by the development of atheroma, which are lipid-laden plaques that build up within arterial walls due to chronic inflammatory processes. These lesions are fundamentally attributed to a complex cellular crosstalk between vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and central immune cells, such as macrophages (Mɸs), which promote vascular inflammation. The presence of VSMCs exerts both positive and negative effects during atheroma development, which can be attributed to their phenotypic plasticity. Understanding the interactions between these key cell types during the development of vascular inflammation and atheroma will enhance the scope for new therapeutic interventions. This study aims

SUBMITTER: Wiejak J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10517978 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature