Microvesicles in Atherosclerosis and Angiogenesis: From Bench to Bedside and Reverse

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Biology
• Cellular Biology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Atherosclerosis (AT) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain leading causes of mortality, driven by lipid accumulation, inflammation, and immune responses.
• Current treatments reduce cardiovascular event (CVE) risk, but significant unmet needs persist for identifying high-risk individuals and novel therapeutic targets.
• Microvesicles (MVs), shed from cells, are implicated in CVD development by mediating intercellular communication and cellular effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of microvesicle (MV) roles in atherosclerosis (AT) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• To highlight novel MV-mediated mechanisms in endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and coagulation.
• To discuss the potential prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications of cell-derived MVs in CVD.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on microvesicles (MVs) in atherosclerosis (AT) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• Analysis of MV-mediated regulatory mechanisms including endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and coagulation.
• Examination of MV roles in vascular remodeling, angiogenesis, and neovascularization.

Main Results:

• MVs act as cellular effectors, facilitating biological information exchange and influencing all stages of AT and CVD progression.
• MV-mediated processes include endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, coagulation, and thrombosis.
• MVs impact vascular remodeling, endothelial-smooth muscle cell crosstalk, and AT-driven angiogenesis and neovascularization.

Conclusions:

• Microvesicles (MVs) are emerging regulators of biological functions in atherothrombosis, with significant implications for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• MVs show promise as potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, as well as therapeutic targets for CVD.
• Translating current findings on MV regulation and function into clinical practice requires substantial further research and effort.