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Updated: Sep 14, 2025
Isolation of Macrophage Subsets and Stromal Cells from Human and Mouse Myocardial Specimens
Published on: December 17, 2019
Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases
Minyan Zhu1,2, Hongmei Zhou3, Lei Zhou4
1Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No.899, Pinghai Road, Gusu District, Suzhou, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Insights
Macrophages are key immune cells in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Targeting macrophage plasticity and signaling pathways offers a promising strategy to reduce inflammation and repair tissue, potentially delaying CVD progression.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cardiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent a significant global health burden.
- Macrophages, critical immune cells, are increasingly recognized for their role in CVD pathogenesis.
- Understanding macrophage behavior is vital for developing novel CVD therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of macrophage plasticity and signaling pathways in CVD.
- To explore therapeutic strategies targeting macrophages in CVD treatment.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of studies on macrophage subtypes and signaling pathways in CVD.
- Selection of relevant research from major medical databases.
Main Results:
- Macrophages exhibit plasticity, differentiating into various phenotypes (e.g., M1, M2) based on their microenvironment.
- Different macrophage phenotypes release distinct cytokines and are regulated by signaling pathways (e.g., PI3K/Akt, TLR4, TGF-β/Smads).
- M1 macrophages promote inflammation, while M2 macrophages aid in inflammation resolution and tissue repair.
Conclusions:
- Modulating macrophage signaling pathways can impact CVD progression.
- Strategies include reducing macrophage aggregation, promoting M2 polarization, and restoring M1/M2 balance.
- Targeting macrophage functions offers a potential therapeutic avenue for improving the inflammatory microenvironment in CVD.
Objective And Design:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading causes of death worldwide, imposing a great burden on society. In recent years, macrophages have garnered widespread attention in CVD research. Macrophages are an important component of the body's immune system, playing a critical role in clearing pathogens, repairing damaged tissues, and regulating inflammatory responses, have the potential to serve as a potential target for the treatment of CVD.
Materials And Methods:
To make up this review, studies covering Macrophage subtypes and signaling pathways, CVD were selected from the main medical databases.
Conclusion:
In CVD, macrophages can differentiate into different phenotypes(M1, M2, M4, et al.) according to their microenvironment by their plasticity and heterogeneity, release different cytokines, are regulated by multiple signaling pathways(PI3K/Akt, TLR4, TGF-β/Smads, et al.), and play other functions in CVD. M1 initiates and maintains inflammation by secreting pro-inflammatory factors, and M2 participates in the regression of inflammation and tissue repair by secreting anti-inflammatory factors. Therefore, by regulating the signaling pathway, it reduces the aggregation of macrophages, promotes the polarization of macrophages to M2, or restores M1/M2 homeostasis to improve the inflammatory microenvironment and delay CVD progression.
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