Iron and LDL-oxidation in atherogenesis.

It has been proposed that the development of atherosclerosis may be linked to the size of the body iron stores. The exact role of iron in the initiation and progression of atherogenesis is, however, still unknown. As a result of increasing support for the LDL-oxidation hypothesis, much additional knowledge about the relation between iron and atherosclerosis has recently been gained. This review presents the current evidence on the role of iron--being a potent catalyst of oxidative reactions--and macrophage-mediated LDL-oxidation in atherogenesis. The authors hypothesize that iron, as a possible central intermediary, may play an important role in cell-mediated LDL-oxidation.