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Updated: Aug 13, 2025
An In vitro Model to Study Heterogeneity of Human Macrophage Differentiation and Polarization
Published on: June 12, 2013
Tuning macrophages for atherosclerosis treatment
Fei Fang1,2,3, Crystal Xiao2,3, Chunli Li1
1Institute of Biomedical Engineering, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Insights
Macrophages are key players in atherosclerosis, a major cause of death. This review explores macrophage roles, therapeutic strategies targeting them, and innovative drug delivery systems for treating vascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Immunology
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease and a leading global cause of mortality.
- Macrophages are central to the inflammatory processes, communication, and structural changes within atherosclerotic plaques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the multifaceted roles of macrophages in atherosclerosis progression.
- To discuss current strategies for modulating macrophage phenotypes and autophagy for therapeutic benefit.
- To explore advanced drug delivery systems targeting macrophages or utilizing their membranes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of macrophage biology in atherosclerosis.
- Analysis of therapeutic approaches targeting macrophage phenotype and autophagy.
- Examination of biomaterial-based drug delivery strategies involving macrophages.
Main Results:
- Macrophages exhibit diverse phenotypes and functions crucial to atherosclerotic lesion development and instability.
- Modulating macrophage phenotype and autophagy presents promising avenues for atherosclerosis treatment.
- Macrophage-targeted or macrophage membrane-coated drug delivery systems offer novel therapeutic strategies.
Conclusions:
- Understanding macrophage complexity is vital for developing effective atherosclerosis therapies.
- Targeting macrophages and employing advanced drug delivery systems hold significant potential for treating vascular diseases.
- Biomaterial-based strategies involving macrophages have broad applications in regenerative medicine and disease therapy.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease and a leading cause of death worldwide. Macrophages play an important role in inflammatory responses, cell-cell communications, plaque growth and plaque rupture in atherosclerotic lesions. Here, we review the sources, functions and complex phenotypes of macrophages in the progression of atherosclerosis, and discuss the recent approaches in modulating macrophage phenotype and autophagy for atherosclerosis treatment. We then focus on the drug delivery strategies that target macrophages or use macrophage membrane-coated particles to deliver therapeutics to the lesion sites. These biomaterial-based approaches that target, modulate or engineer macrophages have broad applications for disease therapies and tissue regeneration.
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