Atherosclerosis and inflammation: therapeutic targets and ways of correction

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease caused by various risk factors, in particular smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia. In addition, such signaling pathways as NLRP3 inflammasome, toll-like receptors, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, Notch and Wnt, which are associated with the inflammatory response in the human body, are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Therapeutic targeting of inflammatory pathways, especially the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and the cascade of reactions regulated by it leading to the production of inflammatory interleukin-1β, may represent a new avenue for the treatment of atherosclerotic diseases. This article summarizes knowledge of the cellular participants and key inflammatory signaling pathways in atherosclerosis, discusses preclinical studies targeting these key pathways in atherosclerosis, clinical trials that will target some of these processes, and the effects of suppressing inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Keywords

• atherosclerosis
• low-density lipoproteins
• cholesterol
• inflammation
• vascular cells
• immune cells
• signaling pathways
• nlrp3 inflammasome
• proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9
• notch pathway
• wnt pathway
• lipidlowering drugs