Crosstalk between nerves, immune cells and plaques drives atherosclerosis

Clyburn, Courtney; Birren, Susan J.

doi:10.1038/d41586-022-00508-6

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27 April 2022

Crosstalk between nerves, immune cells and plaques drives atherosclerosis

Fatty structures called plaques can form in arteries, and are separated from nerves by the artery walls. But this is no barrier to communication — it seems that nerves interact with plaques and immune cells to drive cardiovascular disease.

Courtney Clyburn ⁰ &
Susan J. Birren ¹

Courtney Clyburn
1. Courtney Clyburn is in the Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
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Susan J. Birren
1. Susan J. Birren is in the Department of Biology, Volen Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, USA.
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The insidious accumulation of fatty structures called plaques on the inner walls of arteries wreaks havoc on the cardiovascular system, narrowing the vessels, reducing blood and oxygen delivery to crucial organs, and causing heart attacks and strokes¹. Inflammation, triggered by immune cells, has been recognized as a major factor in plaque formation², bringing hope of new interventions against disease. Writing in Nature, Mohanta and colleagues³ strengthen this hope even more, identifying tripartite interactions between nerves, immune cells and plaques as a key component of atherosclerosis — a life-threatening disease that affects millions of people¹. When these interactions are disrupted, plaques shrink and plaque-associated immune structures are destabilized, suggesting that this unexpected crosstalk could be targeted to treat atherosclerosis.

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Nature 605, 32-34 (2022)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-00508-6

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