免疫细胞在动脉粥样硬化炎症进展中的双刃剑作用

炎症在动脉粥样硬化发展过程中起到十分重要的作用。动脉粥样硬化病理过程由动脉内皮损伤和血浆胆固醇水平异常引起,随后通过炎症反应招募各种免疫细胞进入动脉内膜参与斑块的形成与进展,这些细胞包括巨噬细胞、树突状细胞、平滑肌细胞、T细胞、B细胞和肥大细胞等。其中每一种免疫细胞又由促炎亚群和抗炎亚群共同组成,并产生相应的促炎因子与抗炎因子相互制衡。现从参与动脉粥样硬化发生过程的炎症细胞出发,简要综述斑块发展过程中炎症的机制与双刃剑作用,并为未来的动脉粥样硬化抗炎治疗策略提出可能的靶点。

Double-edged Sword Role of Immune Cells in Advance of Atherosclerotic Inflammation

Inflammation plays an important role in the advance of atherosclerosis.The pathological process of atherosclerosis is caused by the injury of arterial endothelium and abnormal plasma cholesterol level.Subsequently,various immune cells are recruited to the arterial intima through inflammatory response,and participate in the formation and progression of plaque.These cells include macrophages,dendritic cells,smooth muscle cells,T cells,B cells,mast cells,etc.Each of the immune cells is composed of proinflammatory subtype and anti-inflammatory subtype,and produces corresponding pro-inflammatory factors and anti-inflammatory factors to coordinate innate homeostasis.Starting from the inflammatory cells involved in the development of atherosclerosis,this paper briefly reviews the mechanism of inflammation and its double-edged sword effect in the development of plaques,and proposed possible targets for the future anti-inflammatory treatment strategies of atherosclerosis.