Atherosclerosis Is a Smooth Muscle Cell–Driven Tumor-Like Disease

Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, involves the pathological activation of various cell types, including immunocytes (eg, macrophages and T cells), smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and endothelial cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that transition of SMCs to other cell types, known as phenotypic switching, plays a central role in atherosclerosis development and complications. However, the characteristics of SMC-derived cells and the underlying mechanisms of SMC transition in disease pathogenesis remain poorly understood. Our objective is to characterize tumor cell–like behaviors of SMC-derived cells in atherosclerosis, with the ultimate goal of developing interventions targeting SMC transition for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

We used SMC lineage tracing mice and human tissues and applied a range of methods, including molecular, cellular, histological, computational, human genetics, and pharmacological approaches, to investigate the features of SMC-derived cells in atherosclerosis.