Journal Article

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Phenotypic Switching in Cardiovascular Diseases

Tang, Hao-Yue, Zhang, Jun-Jie, Zhang, Huan, Kong, Xiang-Quan, Chen, Ai-Qun, Gao, Xiao-Fei

2022

Overview

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), the major cell type in the arterial vessel wall, have a contractile phenotype that maintains the normal vessel structure and function under physiological conditions. In response to stress or vascular injury, contractile VSMCs can switch to a less differentiated state (synthetic phenotype) to acquire the proliferative, migratory, and synthetic capabilities for tissue reparation. Imbalances in VSMCs phenotypic switching can result in a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, in-stent restenosis, aortic aneurysms, and vascular calcification. It is very important to identify the molecular mechanisms regulating VSMCs phenotypic switching to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases with high morbidity and mortality. However, the key molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways participating in VSMCs phenotypic switching have still not been fully elucidated despite long-term efforts by cardiovascular researchers. In this review, we provide an updated summary of the recent studies and systematic knowledge of VSMCs phenotypic switching in atherosclerosis, in-stent restenosis, aortic aneurysms, and vascular calcification, which may help guide future research and provide novel insights into the prevention and treatment of related diseases.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Aortic Aneurysm - metabolism / Aortic aneurysms / Arteriosclerosis / Atherosclerosis / Atherosclerosis - metabolism / Blood / Calcification (ectopic) / Cardiovascular diseases / Cardiovascular Diseases - metabolism / Cardiovascular Diseases - therapy / Care and treatment / Cell Proliferation / Cholesterol / Coronary Restenosis - metabolism / Endothelium / Epigenetics / Extracellular matrix / Fibroblasts / Genotype & phenotype / Homeostasis / Humans / Implants / Molecular modelling / Morbidity / Muscle cells / Muscle contraction / Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - metabolism / neointimal hyperplasia / Phenotype / Phenotypes / Physiological aspects / Proteins / Restenosis / Review / Signal transduction / Smooth muscle / Structure-function relationships / Tumor necrosis factor-TNF / vascular calcification / Vascular Calcification - metabolism / vascular smooth muscle cell