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Journal of the American Heart... Mar 2017
Review
Topics: Coronary Artery Disease; Coronary Vessels; Global Health; Humans; Morbidity; Plaque, Atherosclerotic
PubMed: 28314799
DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.117.005543 -
Journal of the American College of... Sep 2021Plaque erosion, a distinct histopathological and clinical entity, accounts for over 30% of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Optical coherence tomography allows in vivo... (Review)
Review
Plaque erosion, a distinct histopathological and clinical entity, accounts for over 30% of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Optical coherence tomography allows in vivo diagnosis of plaque erosion. Local flow perturbation with activation of Toll-like receptor 2 and CD8 T cells and subsequent desquamation of endothelium and neutrophil extracellular trap formation contribute to mechanisms of plaque erosion. Compared with ACS patients with plaque rupture, those with plaque erosion are younger, have fewer traditional cardiovascular risk factors, have lower plaque burden, and are more likely to present with non-ST-segment elevation ACS. Early evidence suggests that in patients with ACS caused by plaque erosion, antithrombotic therapy without stenting may be a safe and effective option. Future randomized trials are needed to validate these findings. Clinical studies to develop noninvasive point-of-care biomarkers that distinguish plaque rupture from erosion, and to test novel therapies that target molecular pathways involved in plaque erosion are needed.
Topics: Acute Coronary Syndrome; Cardiac Imaging Techniques; Coronary Vessels; Humans; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Tomography, Optical Coherence
PubMed: 34531028
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2021.07.030 -
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and... Apr 2019Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Over the past 2 decades, increasing research attention is converging on the early... (Review)
Review
Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Over the past 2 decades, increasing research attention is converging on the early detection and monitoring of atherosclerotic plaque. Among several invasive and noninvasive imaging modalities, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is emerging as a promising option. Advantages include its versatility, excellent soft tissue contrast for plaque characterization and lack of ionizing radiation. In this review, we will explore the recent advances in multicontrast and multiparametric imaging sequences that are bringing the aspiration of simultaneous arterial lumen, vessel wall, and plaque characterization closer to clinical feasibility. We also discuss the latest advances in molecular magnetic resonance and multimodal atherosclerosis imaging.
Topics: Carotid Arteries; Carotid Artery Diseases; Contrast Media; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Artery Disease; Forecasting; Gadolinium; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Angiography; Metal Nanoparticles; Multimodal Imaging; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Positron-Emission Tomography
PubMed: 30760017
DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.311754 -
Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology Feb 2024Mast cells (MCs) are commonly recognized for their crucial involvement in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, but over time, it has come to light that they also play... (Review)
Review
Mast cells (MCs) are commonly recognized for their crucial involvement in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, but over time, it has come to light that they also play a role in the pathophysiology of non-allergic disorders including atherosclerosis. The involvement of MCs in the pathology of atherosclerosis is supported by their accumulation in atherosclerotic plaques upon their progression and the association of intraplaque MC numbers with acute cardiovascular events. MCs that accumulate within the atherosclerotic plaque release a cocktail of mediators through which they contribute to neovascularization, plaque progression, instability, erosion, rupture, and thrombosis. At a molecular level, MC-released proteases, especially cathepsin G, degrade low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and mediate LDL fusion and binding of LDL to proteoglycans (PGs). Through a complicated network of chemokines including CXCL1, MCs promote the recruitment of among others CXCR2 neutrophils, therefore, aggravating the inflammation of the plaque environment. Additionally, MCs produce extracellular traps which worsen inflammation and contribute to atherothrombosis. Altogether, evidence suggests that MCs actively, via several underlying mechanisms, contribute to atherosclerotic plaque destabilization and acute cardiovascular syndromes, thus, making the study of interventions to modulate MC activation an interesting target for cardiovascular medicine.
Topics: Humans; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Mast Cells; Atherosclerosis; Thrombosis; Inflammation
PubMed: 38289515
DOI: 10.1007/s12016-024-08981-9 -
BioMed Research International 2017The leading cause of death worldwide is cardiovascular disease. Among the conditions related to the term, the most prominent one is the development of atherosclerotic... (Review)
Review
The leading cause of death worldwide is cardiovascular disease. Among the conditions related to the term, the most prominent one is the development of atherosclerotic plaques in the walls of arteries. The situation gets even worse with the fact that the plaque development may stay asymptomatic for a prolonged period of time. When it manifests as a cardiovascular disorder, it is already too late: the unfortunate individual is prescribed with a plethora of synthetic drugs, which are of debatable efficacy in the prevention of atherosclerotic lesions and safety. Cell models could be useful for the purpose of screening substances potentially effective against atherosclerosis progression and effective in reduction of already present plaques. In this overview, we present studies making use of in vitro and ex vivo models of atherosclerosis development that can prove valuable for clinical applications.
Topics: Animals; Atherosclerosis; Humans; Models, Biological; Plaque, Atherosclerotic
PubMed: 28286766
DOI: 10.1155/2017/5198723 -
Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia Nov 2023
Topics: Humans; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Atherosclerosis; Cysteine Endopeptidases
PubMed: 38126488
DOI: 10.36660/abc.20230743 -
The Journal of Physiology Jun 2016Epidemiological evidence conclusively demonstrates that calcium burden is a significant predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; however, the underlying... (Review)
Review
Epidemiological evidence conclusively demonstrates that calcium burden is a significant predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. These observations have challenged the previously held notion that calcification serves to stabilize the atherosclerotic plaque. Recent studies have shown that microcalcifications that form within the fibrous cap of the plaques lead to the accrual of plaque-destabilizing mechanical stress. Given the association between calcification morphology and cardiovascular outcomes, it is important to understand the mechanisms leading to calcific mineral deposition and growth from the earliest stages. We highlight the open questions in the field of cardiovascular calcification and include a review of the proposed mechanisms involved in extracellular vesicle-mediated mineral deposition.
Topics: Animals; Calcinosis; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Plaque, Atherosclerotic
PubMed: 27040360
DOI: 10.1113/JP271339 -
Scientific Reports Dec 2020Complications of atherosclerosis are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Various genetically modified mouse models are used to investigate disease...
Complications of atherosclerosis are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Various genetically modified mouse models are used to investigate disease trajectory with classical histology, currently the preferred methodology to elucidate plaque composition. Here, we show the strength of light-sheet fluorescence microscopy combined with deep learning image analysis for characterising and quantifying plaque burden and composition in whole aorta specimens. 3D imaging is a non-destructive method that requires minimal ex vivo handling and can be up-scaled to large sample sizes. Combined with deep learning, atherosclerotic plaque in mice can be identified without any ex vivo staining due to the autofluorescent nature of the tissue. The aorta and its branches can subsequently be segmented to determine how anatomical position affects plaque composition and progression. Here, we find the highest plaque accumulation in the aortic arch and brachiocephalic artery. Simultaneously, aortas can be stained for markers of interest (for example the pan immune cell marker CD45) and quantified. In ApoE-/- mice we observe that levels of CD45 reach a plateau after which increases in plaque volume no longer correlate to immune cell infiltration. All underlying code is made publicly available to ease adaption of the method.
Topics: Animals; Aorta; Aortic Diseases; Apolipoproteins E; Atherosclerosis; Deep Learning; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Receptors, LDL
PubMed: 33299076
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78632-4 -
ACS Nano Jul 2023Atherosclerosis is a complex disease that can lead to life-threatening events, such as myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Despite the severity of this disease,...
Atherosclerosis is a complex disease that can lead to life-threatening events, such as myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Despite the severity of this disease, diagnosing plaque vulnerability remains challenging due to the lack of effective diagnostic tools. Conventional diagnostic protocols lack specificity and fail to predict the type of atherosclerotic lesion and the risk of plaque rupture. To address this issue, technologies are emerging, such as noninvasive medical imaging of atherosclerotic plaque with customized nanotechnological solutions. Modulating the biological interactions and contrast of nanoparticles in various imaging techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging, is possible through the careful design of their physicochemical properties. However, few examples of comparative studies between nanoparticles targeting different hallmarks of atherosclerosis exist to provide information about the plaque development stage. Our work demonstrates that Gd (III)-doped amorphous calcium carbonate nanoparticles are an effective tool for these comparative studies due to their high magnetic resonance contrast and physicochemical properties. In an animal model of atherosclerosis, we compare the imaging performance of three types of nanoparticles: bare amorphous calcium carbonate and those functionalized with the ligands alendronate (for microcalcification targeting) and trimannose (for inflammation targeting). Our study provides useful insights into ligand-mediated targeted imaging of atherosclerosis through a combination of imaging, tissue analysis, and targeting experiments.
Topics: Animals; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Atherosclerosis; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Nanoparticles
PubMed: 37399106
DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c03523 -
Journal of Atherosclerosis and... Apr 2017Due to the pandemics of obesity and diabetes mellitus, especially in the Western countries, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) has become a major health... (Review)
Review
Due to the pandemics of obesity and diabetes mellitus, especially in the Western countries, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) has become a major health burden and is expected to increase in the future. Modifying lipid targets, especially low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, has become the first-line therapy for primary and secondary prevention of ASCVD. Intravascular imaging modalities have contributed to elucidating clinical efficacy of lipid lowering therapy on atherosclerotic plaques. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution imaging tool enables visualization of plaque microstructures associated with its instability. This modality has demonstrated favorable changes in plaque microstructures under lowering LDL-C level. In addition, clinical studies using OCT have suggested potential association of other lipid targets, including triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with plaque microstructures. Given continuing cardiovascular risks despite statin therapy, OCT will be an important imaging modality to evaluate novel therapeutic approaches that potentially modulates plaque instability.
Topics: Animals; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Hypolipidemic Agents; Lipids; Plaque, Atherosclerotic
PubMed: 28239070
DOI: 10.5551/jat.RV16009