Biomedicines (Jul 2022)

Dirty Jobs: Macrophages at the Heart of Cardiovascular Disease

  • Travis W. Stevens,
  • Fatimah K. Khalaf,
  • Sophia Soehnlen,
  • Prajwal Hegde,
  • Kyle Storm,
  • Chandramohan Meenakshisundaram,
  • Lance D. Dworkin,
  • Deepak Malhotra,
  • Steven T. Haller,
  • David J. Kennedy,
  • Prabhatchandra Dube

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10071579
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 7
p. 1579

Abstract

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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the greatest public health concerns and is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. CVD is a broad yet complex term referring to numerous heart and vascular conditions, all with varying pathologies. Macrophages are one of the key factors in the development of these conditions. Macrophages play diverse roles in the maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis, and an imbalance of these mechanisms contributes to the development of CVD. In the current review, we provide an in-depth analysis of the diversity of macrophages, their roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis within the heart and vasculature, and the mechanisms through which imbalances in homeostasis may lead to CVD. Through this review, we aim to highlight the potential importance of macrophages in the identification of preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies for patients with CVD.

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