Atherosclerosis: Molecular Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Interventions.

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Molecular Biology
• Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

Background:

• Atherosclerosis is a major cause of global mortality, driven by complex biological pathways beyond lipid lowering.
• Current therapies like statins primarily focus on lipid reduction, necessitating exploration of other molecular mechanisms.
• Key processes include oxidized LDL uptake, chronic inflammation, and vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the roles of key signaling pathways in atherosclerosis pathogenesis.
• To emphasize the involvement of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 5 and 9.
• To discuss emerging therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review summarizing molecular pathways.
• Focus on transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling.
• Examination of cell cycle proteins, particularly CDKs 5 and 9.

Main Results:

• Detailed overview of TGF-β, MAPK, and PI3K/Akt pathways in atherosclerosis.
• Identification of CDKs 5 and 9 as critical drivers of pathological conditions.
• Exploration of noncoding RNA strategies and proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) as potential treatments.

Conclusions:

• Understanding these molecular pathways is crucial for developing new atherosclerosis therapies.
• CDKs 5 and 9 represent significant targets for intervention.
• Novel approaches like noncoding RNAs and PROTACs show promise for future cardiovascular disease treatment.