Endothelial to mesenchymal transition is common in atherosclerotic lesions and is associated with plaque instability

Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) plays a major role during development, and also contributes to several adult cardiovascular diseases. Importantly, mesenchymal cells including fibroblasts are prominent in atherosclerosis, with key functions including regulation of: inflammation, matrix and collagen production, and plaque structural integrity. However, little is known about the origins of atherosclerosis-associated fibroblasts. Here we show using endothelial-specific lineage-tracking that EndMT-derived fibroblast-like cells are common in atherosclerotic lesions, with EndMT-derived cells expressing a range of fibroblast-specific markers. In vitro modelling confirms that EndMT is driven by TGF-β…

• A
  AstraZeneca
• IS
  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

  Award: P30ES023515
• FL
  Fondation Leducq
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: R01HL130423, R01HL117505, T32HL007824, U01HL107388, 128072, U2CES026561, U2CES026555, R01GM114434, HL119046, K08HL111330, HL129814, P30ES023515