巨噬细胞自噬在动脉粥样硬化中作用的研究进展

动脉粥样硬化(As)所致心脑血管疾病在全球的罹患率及致死率名居前列,严重威胁人类健康。血脂紊乱和氧化炎症等状态使血管内膜下巨噬细胞对胆固醇的多进少出,导致胞内积聚大量脂滴(LDs),演变为泡沫细胞,成为As斑块形成的中心环节。自噬是细胞一种保护性物质降解途径,基础性自噬有利于细胞的物质代谢平衡,但自噬缺陷或异常则使细胞清除能力下降,引发代谢应激、氧化、炎症及细胞死亡等,与As斑块发生发展密切相关。本文就巨噬细胞自噬在胆固醇代谢、炎症、氧化应激、凋亡等方面的作用作一综述。

Research progress of macrophage autophagy in atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases caused by atherosclerosis are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, which has a great harm to human health. Macrophages under the vascular intima would uptake more cholesterol and efflux less in the state of dyslipidemia, oxidation and inflammation, leading to the accumulation of a large number of lipid droplets (LDs) and formation of foam cells, as a key step in the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Autophagy serves as a conserved degradation process to contribute to cellular metabolism homeostasis. With autophagy deficiency or abnormality, the ability of cell self-clearing decreases, leading to metabolic stress, oxidation, inflammation and cell death, which has a close relationship with atherosclerosis. This review focuses on the role of macrophage autophagy in cholesterol metabolism, inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis.