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Updated: Nov 7, 2025
Quantitative Analysis of Cellular Composition in Advanced Atherosclerotic Lesions of Smooth Muscle Cell Lineage-Tracing Mice
Published on: February 20, 2019
Novel Therapeutical Approaches to Managing Atherosclerotic Risk
Rosaria Vincenza Giglio1, Anca Pantea Stoian2, Khalid Al-Rasadi3
1Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience, and Advanced Diagnostics, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Insights
New therapies targeting atherosclerosis aim to reduce arterial plaque by lowering LDL-Cholesterol and inflammation. These approaches address molecular pathways, offering improved management for this complex vascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Vascular Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Atherosclerosis involves arterial stiffening and inflammation due to lipid and cellular accumulation.
- Cardiometabolic risk factors, lipid alterations, and inflammation are key drivers of atherosclerosis progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current therapeutic strategies for managing atherosclerosis and atheromatous plaque.
- To explore novel agents targeting molecular pathways involved in plaque formation and inflammation.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive review of existing studies on cardiometabolic risk factors, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis treatments.
- Analysis of therapeutic strategies including PCSK9 inhibitors, inclisiran, bempedoic acid, GLP-1 RAs, and nutraceuticals.
Main Results:
- Emerging therapies demonstrate potential in improving atheromatous plaque by influencing LDL-Receptor exposure, endothelial function, and inflammatory processes.
- These agents target key molecular mechanisms such as lipid oxidation, foam cell formation, and extracellular lipid deposition.
Conclusions:
- Intensive lowering of LDL-Cholesterol and reduction of inflammation are crucial for atheroma plaque regression.
- Novel therapeutic alternatives offer promising avenues for managing atherosclerotic disease by addressing residual risk factors.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial vascular disease that leads to inflammation and stiffening of the arteries and decreases their elasticity due to the accumulation of calcium, small dense Low Density Lipoproteins (sdLDL), inflammatory cells, and fibrotic material. A review of studies pertaining to cardiometabolic risk factors, lipids alterations, hypolipidemic agents, nutraceuticals, hypoglycaemic drugs, atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation was performed. There are several therapeutic strategies including Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, inclisiran, bempedoic acid, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), and nutraceuticals that promise improvement in the atheromatous plaque from a molecular point of view, because have actions on the exposure of the LDL-Receptor (LDL-R), on endothelial dysfunction, activation of macrophages, on lipid oxidation, formations on foam cells, and deposition extracellular lipids. Atheroma plaque reduction both as a result of LDL-Cholesterol (LDL-C) intensive lowering and reducing inflammation and other residual risk factors is an integral part of the management of atherosclerotic disease, and the use of valid therapeutic alternatives appear to be appealing avenues to solving the problem.
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