Myeloid cell contributions to cardiovascular health and disease

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Cardiovascular Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• Leukocyte behavior is increasingly understood through cell tracing and sequencing.
• Inflammatory cells, particularly monocyte-derived macrophages, are emerging as drug targets for cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and heart failure.
• Harmful macrophage subsets in arteries and the heart, altered production, and epigenetic memory in myeloid progenitors are key findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in understanding leukocyte subsets, sources, and functions in cardiovascular disease.
• To explore the potential of targeting monocytes and macrophages for precision cardiovascular therapeutics.
• To discuss how integrated clinical and preclinical data advance the concept of cardiovascular immunotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent clinical and preclinical data.
• Analysis of cell tracing and sequencing technologies.
• Integration of findings across cardiovascular, immune, and other organ systems.

Main Results:

• Identification of specific harmful arterial and cardiac macrophage subsets.
• Understanding of altered and potentially clonal production of these cells in hematopoietic organs.
• Recognition of epigenetically entrained memories in myeloid progenitors and macrophages relevant to cardiovascular disease.

Conclusions:

• Intricate understanding of monocyte and macrophage subsets, sources, and functions is essential for developing precision therapeutics.
• These insights are critical for preserving protective innate immunity while treating cardiovascular disease.
• Cardiovascular immunotherapy is becoming a tangible therapeutic strategy based on current research.