Animal models of human atherosclerosis: current progress

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Translational Medicine
• Animal Modeling

Background:

• Atherosclerosis is a primary global cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in industrialized nations.
• Current understanding of atherosclerosis pathogenesis is limited due to its multifactorial nature, involving lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation.
• Effective therapeutic interventions require a deeper comprehension of disease mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in creating and utilizing animal models for atherosclerosis research.
• To discuss key findings derived from these models in understanding disease progression.
• To highlight the role of genetically modified animals in modeling complex disease aspects.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on animal models for atherosclerosis.
• Focus on rodent (mice, rats) and rabbit models.
• Emphasis on genetically modified animal models.

Main Results:

• Genetically modified animals offer unprecedented capabilities for modeling atherosclerosis.
• These models facilitate the study of multifactorial disease processes like altered lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation.
• Significant progress has been made in understanding plaque formation and progression using these advanced models.

Conclusions:

• Animal models, especially genetically modified ones, are indispensable tools for studying atherosclerosis.
• These models are critical for identifying effective therapeutic targets and developing novel treatments.
• Continued development and application of animal models will accelerate progress in combating atherosclerosis.