The heterogeneous cellular landscape of atherosclerosis: Implications for future research and therapies. A collaborative review from the EAS young fellows

Abstract

Single cell technologies, lineage tracing mouse models and advanced imaging techniques unequivocally improved the resolution of the cellular landscape of atherosclerosis. Although the discovery of the heterogeneous nature of the cellular plaque architecture has undoubtedly improved our understanding of the specific cellular states in atherosclerosis progression, it also adds more complexity to current and future research and will change how we approach future drug development. In this review, we will discuss how the revolution of new single cell technologies allowed us to map the cellular networks in the plaque, but we will also address current (technological) limitations that confine us to identify the cellular drivers of the disease and to pinpoint a specific cell state, cell subset or cell surface antigen as new candidate drug target for atherosclerosis.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis therapy; Cell activation; Cell plasticity; Cellular heterogeneity; Intercellular communication; Multi-omics; Single cell RNA sequencing.