Endothelial mechanobiology in atherosclerosis.
Cardiovasc Res
; 119(8): 1656-1675, 2023 07 06.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37163659
ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a serious health challenge, causing more deaths worldwide than cancer. The vascular endothelium, which forms the inner lining of blood vessels, plays a central role in maintaining vascular integrity and homeostasis and is in direct contact with the blood flow. Research over the past century has shown that mechanical perturbations of the vascular wall contribute to the formation and progression of atherosclerosis. While the straight part of the artery is exposed to sustained laminar flow and physiological high shear stress, flow near branch points or in curved vessels can exhibit 'disturbed' flow. Clinical studies as well as carefully controlled in vitro analyses have confirmed that these regions of disturbed flow, which can include low shear stress, recirculation, oscillation, or lateral flow, are preferential sites of atherosclerotic lesion formation. Because of their critical role in blood flow homeostasis, vascular endothelial cells (ECs) have mechanosensory mechanisms that allow them to react rapidly to changes in mechanical forces, and to execute context-specific adaptive responses to modulate EC functions. This review summarizes the current understanding of endothelial mechanobiology, which can guide the identification of new therapeutic targets to slow or reverse the progression of atherosclerosis.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Doenças Cardiovasculares
/
Aterosclerose
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article