Monocyte Recruitment, Specification, and Function in Atherosclerosis

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on the macrophage phenotypic diversity and its role in the progression of the dynamic atherosclerotic plaque, and finally discuss the possibility of treating atherosclerosis by targeting macophage microenvironment.

TL;DR: The JAK-STAT pathway sustains inflammatory and thrombotic events in autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), disorders that heighten cardiovascular risk as mentioned in this paper.

Abstract: Recent clinical trials have now firmly established that inflammation participates causally in human atherosclerosis. These observations point the way toward novel treatments that add to established therapies to help stem the growing global epidemic of cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, we now have a number of actionable targets whose clinical exploration will help achieve the goal of optimizing beneficial effects while avoiding undue interference with host defenses or other unwanted actions. This review aims to furnish the foundation for this quest by critical evaluation of the current state of anti-inflammatory interventions within close reach of clinical application, with a primary focus on innate immunity. In particular, this paper highlights the pathway from the inflammasome, through interleukin (IL)-1 to IL-6 supported by a promising body of pre-clinical, clinical, and human genetic data. This paper also considers the use of biomarkers to guide allocation of anti-inflammatory therapies as a step toward realizing the promise of precision medicine. The validation of decades of experimental work and association studies in humans by recent clinical investigations provides a strong impetus for further efforts to target inflammation in atherosclerosis to address the considerable risk that remains despite current therapies.

TL;DR: The detailed understanding of the role of all these cells in disease progression at different stages sheds more light on the subject and provides valuable insights as to where and when therapy should be targeted.

TL;DR: March 5, 2019 e1 WRITING GROUP MEMBERS Emelia J. Virani, MD, PhD, FAHA, Chair Elect On behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee.

TL;DR: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin‐1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid‐level lowering.

TL;DR: Using a murine adoptive transfer system to probe monocyte homing and differentiation in vivo, two functional subsets among murine blood monocytes are identified: a short-lived CX(3)CR1(lo)CCR2(+)Gr1(+) subset that is actively recruited to inflamed tissues and a CX (3) CR1(hi)CCS1-dependent recruitment to noninflamed tissues.

TL;DR: It is shown that cholesterol crystals activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in phagocytes in vitro in a process that involves phagolysosomal damage and that crystalline cholesterol acts as an endogenous danger signal and its deposition in arteries or elsewhere is an early cause rather than a late consequence of inflammation.