Serum atherogenicity as a pathogenetic target for direct anti-atherosclerotic therapy

Abstract

Currently, the causes and mechanisms of atherosclerosis are not fully understood. Accordingly, there are no direct methods of prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis which could be widely used in subclinical stage patients. We established that atherogenicity of blood serum is directly linked to the progression of asymptomatic atherosclerosis and influences the course of atherosclerosis. We found that targeted reduction of serum atherogenicity abrogates development and causes regression of early atherosclerotic lesions. For the first time, inhibition at cellular and molecular level of the key atherogenic event – cholesterol storage in vascular wall cells – is proposed to be used as the principal approach to direct anti-atherosclerotic therapy.