Dichotomous Roles of Smooth Muscle Cell-Derived MCP1 (Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein 1) in Development of Atherosclerosis.
Katherine M OwsianyRebecca A DeatonKaren G SoohooAnh Tram NguyenGary K OwensPublished in: Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology (2022)
MCP1 produced by classical SMCs influences monocyte levels beginning early in disease and was atheroprotective, while MCP1 produced by the Lgals3-transitioned subset of SMCs exacerbated plaque pathogenesis in late-stage disease. Results are the first to determine the function of Lgals3-transitioned inflammatory SMCs in atherosclerosis and highlight the need for caution when considering therapeutic interventions involving MCP1.