Single-nucleus RNA sequencing reveals that macrophages and smooth muscle cells promote carotid atherosclerosis progression through mitochondrial autophagy

Carotid atherosclerotic plaques are the manifestation of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries and can significantly increase the incidence of cerebrovascular disease. Macrophages and smooth muscle cells are crucial for their development. To reveal the mechanism of carotid atherosclerotic plaque f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medicine (Baltimore) 2024-02, Vol.103 (7), p.e37171-e37171
Main Authors: Song, Yamin, Zhang, Qiang, Ban, Ru, Zhao, Xin, Sun, Hao, Lin, Jie, Guo, Tingting, Wang, Tao, Xia, Kai, Xin, Zhenxue, Zhang, Guifeng, Jia, Xiaodong, Xia, Zhangyong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atherosclerosis - metabolism
Autophagy - genetics
Carotid Artery Diseases
Humans
Macrophages - metabolism
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - metabolism
Observational Study
Plaque, Atherosclerotic
Sequence Analysis, RNA
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Summary:Carotid atherosclerotic plaques are the manifestation of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries and can significantly increase the incidence of cerebrovascular disease. Macrophages and smooth muscle cells are crucial for their development. To reveal the mechanism of carotid atherosclerotic plaque formation, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing of the carotid plaque tissue and identified 11 cell types, and the macrophages were divided into 5 different macrophage subpopulations. The macrophages and smooth muscle cells in the patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques caused intraplaque cell death via the mitochondrial autophagic pathway, resulting in plaque instability and rupture, which in turn led to clinical cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. The findings provide new insights into carotid atherosclerosis formation, and this may provide new directions for the prevention and treatment of carotid atherosclerosis.
ISSN:0025-7974
1536-5964
DOI:10.1097/MD.0000000000037171