The high blood pressure of hypertension is linked to the development of atherosclerosis, which is characterized by cholesterol-rich lesions in blood vessel walls. Researchers have identified potential mechanisms by which hypertension can cause cell dysfunction, including increasing immune cell numbers and directly affecting arterial wall permeability to cholesterol. Additionally, researchers have found that hypertensive pressure alone is enough to trigger the formation of foam cells in vascular smooth muscle cells. This discovery opens the door to potential therapeutic strategies targeting mechanosignaling to combat atherosclerosis.
Arterial vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play a central role in the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. Upon exposure to pathological stimuli, they can take on alternative phenotypes that include foam cells, contributing to the progression of the condition.
The study highlights the role of mechanical stimulation in the formation of VSMC foam cells and identifies specific signaling pathways involved in this process. This groundbreaking research suggests that targeting mechanosignaling could be a potential therapeutic strategy for atherosclerosis.
