Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Verheye, Stefan, MD, PhD
• Martinet, Wim, PhD
• Kockx, Mark M., MD, PhD
• Knaapen, Michiel W.M., PhD
• Salu, Koen, MD, PhD
• Timmermans, Jean-Pierre, PhD
• Ellis, Jeffrey T., PhD
• Kilpatrick, Deborah L., PhD
• De Meyer, Guido R.Y., PharMD, PhD

Titel

Selective Clearance of Macrophages in Atherosclerotic Plaques by Autophagy

Ist Teil von

• Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2007-02, Vol.49 (6), p.706-715

Ort / Verlag

New York, NY: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2007

Quelle

ScienceDirect

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Selective Clearance of Macrophages in Atherosclerotic Plaques by Autophagy Stefan Verheye, Wim Martinet, Mark M. Kockx, Michiel W. M. Knaapen, Koen Salu, Jean-Pierre Timmermans, Jeffrey T. Ellis, Deborah L. Kilpatrick, Guido R. Y. De Meyer Macrophages play a central role in atherosclerotic plaque destabilization, leading to acute coronary syndromes and sudden death. Means to selectively clear macrophages from vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques to reduce clinical events are currently unknown. We report that local delivery of everolimus, a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTOR), in rabbit atherosclerotic plaques led to clearance of macrophages without altering viability of plaque-stabilizing smooth muscle cells. Selective clearance of macrophages occurred by autophagy due to inhibition of mTOR, a novel mechanism of cell death in mammalian cells. Local delivery of an mTOR inhibitor is a promising strategy for treatment of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques.