Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases

Abstract Objective and design Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading causes of death worldwide, imposing a great burden on society. In recent years, macrophages have garnered widespread attention in CVD research. Macrophages are an important component of the body’s immune system, playing a cr...

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Main Authors: Minyan Zhu, Hongmei Zhou, Lei Zhou, Yaping Yang, Rong Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-025-03541-4
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author Minyan Zhu
Hongmei Zhou
Lei Zhou
Yaping Yang
Rong Chen
author_facet Minyan Zhu
Hongmei Zhou
Lei Zhou
Yaping Yang
Rong Chen
author_sort Minyan Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective and design Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading causes of death worldwide, imposing a great burden on society. In recent years, macrophages have garnered widespread attention in CVD research. Macrophages are an important component of the body’s immune system, playing a critical role in clearing pathogens, repairing damaged tissues, and regulating inflammatory responses, have the potential to serve as a potential target for the treatment of CVD. Materials and methods To make up this review, studies covering Macrophage subtypes and signaling pathways, CVD were selected from the main medical databases. Conclusion In CVD, macrophages can differentiate into different phenotypes(M1, M2, M4, et al.) according to their microenvironment by their plasticity and heterogeneity, release different cytokines, are regulated by multiple signaling pathways(PI3K/Akt, TLR4, TGF-β/Smads, et al.), and play other functions in CVD. M1 initiates and maintains inflammation by secreting pro-inflammatory factors, and M2 participates in the regression of inflammation and tissue repair by secreting anti-inflammatory factors. Therefore, by regulating the signaling pathway, it reduces the aggregation of macrophages, promotes the polarization of macrophages to M2, or restores M1/M2 homeostasis to improve the inflammatory microenvironment and delay CVD progression.
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery
spelling doaj-art-c67f3bb7a9a1409098fc9be780e7c5a12025-08-20T04:02:44ZengBMCJournal of Cardiothoracic Surgery1749-80902025-07-0120111210.1186/s13019-025-03541-4Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseasesMinyan Zhu0Hongmei Zhou1Lei Zhou2Yaping Yang3Rong Chen4Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityDepartment of Pharmacy, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical UniversityThe Affiliated Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and PreventionDepartment of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityDepartment of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityAbstract Objective and design Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading causes of death worldwide, imposing a great burden on society. In recent years, macrophages have garnered widespread attention in CVD research. Macrophages are an important component of the body’s immune system, playing a critical role in clearing pathogens, repairing damaged tissues, and regulating inflammatory responses, have the potential to serve as a potential target for the treatment of CVD. Materials and methods To make up this review, studies covering Macrophage subtypes and signaling pathways, CVD were selected from the main medical databases. Conclusion In CVD, macrophages can differentiate into different phenotypes(M1, M2, M4, et al.) according to their microenvironment by their plasticity and heterogeneity, release different cytokines, are regulated by multiple signaling pathways(PI3K/Akt, TLR4, TGF-β/Smads, et al.), and play other functions in CVD. M1 initiates and maintains inflammation by secreting pro-inflammatory factors, and M2 participates in the regression of inflammation and tissue repair by secreting anti-inflammatory factors. Therefore, by regulating the signaling pathway, it reduces the aggregation of macrophages, promotes the polarization of macrophages to M2, or restores M1/M2 homeostasis to improve the inflammatory microenvironment and delay CVD progression.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-025-03541-4MacrophagesPhenotypesMechanism of actionCardiovascular diseases
spellingShingle Minyan Zhu
Hongmei Zhou
Lei Zhou
Yaping Yang
Rong Chen
Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases
Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Macrophages
Phenotypes
Mechanism of action
Cardiovascular diseases
title Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases
title_full Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases
title_fullStr Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases
title_full_unstemmed Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases
title_short Research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases
title_sort research progress on macrophages in cardiovascular diseases
topic Macrophages
Phenotypes
Mechanism of action
Cardiovascular diseases
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-025-03541-4
work_keys_str_mv AT minyanzhu researchprogressonmacrophagesincardiovasculardiseases
AT hongmeizhou researchprogressonmacrophagesincardiovasculardiseases
AT leizhou researchprogressonmacrophagesincardiovasculardiseases
AT yapingyang researchprogressonmacrophagesincardiovasculardiseases
AT rongchen researchprogressonmacrophagesincardiovasculardiseases