Feig Jonathan E, Feig Jessica L
Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Mount Sinai Medical Center NY, USA.
Front Physiol. 2012 Jul 18;3:286. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2012.00286. eCollection 2012.
Atherosclerosis is the number one cause of death in the Western world. It results from the interaction between modified lipoproteins and cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, and other cellular elements present in the arterial wall. This inflammatory process can ultimately lead to the development of complex lesions, or plaques, that protrude into the arterial lumen. Ultimately, plaque rupture and thrombosis can occur leading to the clinical complications of myocardial infarction or stroke. Although each of the cell types plays roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the focus of this review will be primarily on the macrophages and DCs. The role of these two cell types in atherosclerosis is discussed, with a particular emphasis on their involvement in atherosclerosis regression.
动脉粥样硬化是西方世界的首要死因。它是由修饰的脂蛋白与动脉壁中存在的巨噬细胞、树突状细胞（DCs）、T细胞及其他细胞成分之间的相互作用所致。这种炎症过程最终可导致复杂病变或斑块的形成，这些斑块会突入动脉管腔。最终，斑块破裂和血栓形成可导致心肌梗死或中风等临床并发症。尽管每种细胞类型在动脉粥样硬化的发病机制中都发挥作用，但本综述的重点将主要放在巨噬细胞和DCs上。本文讨论了这两种细胞类型在动脉粥样硬化中的作用，尤其强调了它们在动脉粥样硬化消退中的作用。
