Translational opportunities of single-cell biology in atherosclerosis

Graphical Abstract Graphical Abstract Single-cell biology is bringing new clinical meaning to patient heterogeneity in many disciplines. Atlases of the cellular building blocks of the human atherosclerotic plaque have so far shown that: (i) cellular identity is overall preserved, albeit overlapping transcriptional programmes are activated; (ii) changes in cellular cluster abundance appear between healthy and diseased vascular states; (iii) renewed evidence emerged for a role of T cells in human cardiovascular disease (CVD); and (iv) macrophage heterogeneity supports targeting inflammation and lipids while sparing protective subsets. Vascular single-cell biology has clear translational implications for CVD in terms of identification of the molecular pathways of disease resistance vs. disease propensity and genetic risk, guidance in designing new therapies, vaccines and repurposing drugs for CVD, the study of the therapy-induced adaptation of plaque and circulating cells in clinical trials, improved modelling of human CVD through the availability of metagenomic data sets, and advances in patient selection and stratification. GMZB, Granzyme B; Lef1, lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1; Prf1 Perforin 1; Trem2, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2.

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