Advances in the mechanisms of atherosclerosis vulnerable plague and endoplasmic reticulum stress

• Main Authors: Zhong Zhang, Ruo-Lan Huang, Ru Mo, Ling Wang, Xiao Chang, Mu-Juan Xu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editorial Board of Journal of Hainan Medical University 2016-05-01
• Series: Journal of Hainan Medical University
• Subjects: Atherosclerosis; Vulnerable plaque; Endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway
• Online Access: http://www.hnykdxxb.com/PDF/201609/29.pdf

Objective: Ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease occupy the first two place of world health economic burden, atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque rupture as the common factor of these diseases, is thought to be a key target of ischemic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease control. Endoplasmic reticulum stress is one of the classical pathway of cell apoptosis. More and more studies have indicated that the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway was involved in the development of atherosclerotic plaque rupture. In this paper, the three main signal pathways of endoplasmic reticulum stress, including Protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK), Activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) and Inositol-requiring protein 1αα(IRE1α) were reviewed. The relationship between the risk factors of atherosclerosis (including hyperlipidemia, hypertension and hyperglycemia) and endoplasmic reticulum stress, and the relationship between major cellular components (macrophages, vascular endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells and vascular smooth muscle cells) of vulnerable plaque and endoplasmic reticulum stress were reviewed.