Distinct types of regulated cell death in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with high morbidity and mortality, leading to serious complications like myocardial infarction and strokes. Key cell types involved in atherosclerotic lesions include vascular endothelial cells (VEC), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and macrophages. Types of regulated cell death (RCD) are significant in the development and progression of AS, including apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, efferocytosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, cuproptosis, lysosome-dependent cell death (LDCD), NETotic cell death, paraptosis, alkaliptosis, oxeiptosis, entotic cell death and PANoptosis. The regulatory mechanisms and the crosstalk between different types of cells during AS are complex, and the exact molecular basis remains obscure. Currently, numerous drugs and compounds have been found to attenuate AS by targeting RCD. The review aims to provide an overview of RCD types related to VEC, VSMC, and macrophages in AS, providing a reliable theoretical basis of the cellular mechanisms and exploring potential therapeutic strategies.