Atherosclerotic Fibrous Plaques in Women Present ECM Remodeling Linked to TGF-β.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sex and atherosclerotic plaque histology are intertwined, with fibrous plaques being more prevalent in women. Plaque erosion, a significant contributor to acute coronary syndromes, is linked to fibrous plaques and is more prevalent in women than men. We hypothesize that the molecular drivers of histologically determined fibrous plaques differ between men and women.

Methods

Human end-stage atherosclerotic plaques were isolated from carotid endarterectomy patients included in the Athero-Express Biobank. Fibrous plaques were histologically assessed, linked to clinical characteristics, and processed for protein, bulk RNA, single-cell RNA, and DNA methylation data. We leveraged sex-differential gene expression and deconvolution analyses to uncover sex-biased molecular

SUBMITTER: Sakkers TR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12947913 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature