Emerging Associations Between Neutrophils, Atherosclerosis, and Psoriasis

Atherogenesis, once thought to be a passive process, is now recognized as a dynamic, immune-driven process. The critical innate immune cells, including neutrophils, normal-density granulocytes, and their newly identified subset low-density granulocytes, are moving to the forefront of interest in cardiovascular medicine due to their abundance in atherosclerotic plaques and chronic inflammatory diseases associating with early cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as psoriasis. In this review, we discuss the emerging roles of neutrophils in CVD and how they play a potential role in early CVD observed in psoriasis patients. This review aims to describe the roles of neutrophils in both early atherosclerosis and psoriasis.

Recent work has demonstrated mechanistic links between vascular inflammation and neutrophil frequency. Evolving mouse models and clinical trials targeting IL-17-associated pathways continue to elucidate contributions of neutrophils in both atherosclerosis and psoriasis. Early animal, in vitro and human studies suggest an important emerging role of neutrophils in atherosclerosis and psoriasis.