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ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Statins promote efferocytosis in atherosclerotic plaques

Nature Reviews Cardiology volume 19, page 286 (2022)Cite this article

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Growing evidence indicates that statins have beneficial effects beyond reducing plasma LDL-cholesterol levels. A study in Nature Cardiovascular Research reports a new pleiotropic effect of statins, showing that statins have lipid-independent anti-atherosclerotic effects mediated by increasing the rate of macrophage efferocytosis (a process of apoptotic cell clearance from atherosclerotic plaques) through suppression of the expression of the ‘don’t-eat-me’ molecule CD47 on plaque apoptotic cells. Moreover, pro-efferocytic therapies amplify the anti-atherosclerotic effect of statin treatment in an additive manner and independently of any lipid-lowering effects of statins.

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Original article

  • Jarr, K.-U. et al. The pleiotropic benefits of statins include the ability to reduce CD47 and amplify the effect of pro-efferocytic therapies in atherosclerosis. Nat. Cardiovasc. Res. 1, 253–262 (2022)

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  1. Nature Reviews Cardiology http://www.nature.com/nrcardio/

    Irene Fernández-Ruiz

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  1. Irene Fernández-Ruiz
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Correspondence to Irene Fernández-Ruiz.

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Fernández-Ruiz, I. Statins promote efferocytosis in atherosclerotic plaques. Nat Rev Cardiol 19, 286 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-022-00699-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-022-00699-5

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