Matricellular proteins: Potential biomarkers and mechanistic factors in aortic aneurysms

Aortic aneurysms, including thoracic aortic aneurysms and abdominal aortic aneurysms, are life-threatening macrovascular diseases with high mortality. The already known key mechanisms implicated in aortic aneurysm pathogenesis involve the remodeling of the extracellular matrix and a set of cellular responses, such as inflammation, oxidative stress and vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction. Matricellular proteins constitute a group of nonstructural extracellular proteins that link the interaction between cells and their extracellular microenvironment and have been widely reported in different diseases, including aortic aneurysms. In the present review, we summarize the role of various matricellular proteins in the pathogenesis and progression of aortic aneurysms, as well as address the possibility of using these proteins as biomarkers and pathogenic factors, to highlight their clinical significance in aortic aneurysms.