Atherosclerosis: current pathogenesis and therapeutic options.

Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany. christian.weber@med.uni-muenchen.de

Nature medicine 2011

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Coronary artery disease (CAD) arising from atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide. The underlying pathogenesis involves an imbalanced lipid metabolism and a maladaptive immune response entailing a chronic inflammation of the arterial wall. The disturbed equilibrium of lipid accumulation, immune responses and their clearance is shaped by leukocyte trafficking and homeostasis governed by chemokines and their receptors. New pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways linking lipid and inflammation biology have been discovered, and genetic profiling studies have unveiled variations involved in human CAD. The growing understanding of the inflammatory processes and mediators has uncovered an intriguing diversity of targetable mechanisms that can be exploited to complement lipid-lowering therapies. Here we aim to systematically survey recently identified molecular mechanisms, translational developments and clinical strategies for targeting lipid-related inflammation in atherosclerosis and CAD.