Volume 14 Issue 5, May 2017

The ESC has updated its 2006 consensus statement on clinical investigation of autologous adult stem cells for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction and heart failure. This initiative by a group of leaders in the field stimulates much-needed reflection and provides guidance to make cell therapy a clinical reality. Here, we offer our own perspective.

Extracellular vesicles regulate the transfer of biological information, acting locally and remotely. Interest in extracellular vesicles, in particular exosomes, in the cardiovascular field emerged a decade ago, opening new research and therapeutic avenues. This Review summarizes current knowledge on the role of extracellular vesicles in coronary artery disease, and their emerging potential as biomarkers and therapeutic agents.

From a global perspective, the large and diverse African population is disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease. In their Review, Keates et al. provide a contemporary overview of the cardiovascular risk profile of the African population by summarizing the historical pattern of cardiovascular disease in Africa.

The optimal duration and type of antiplatelet therapy after implantation of a drug-eluting stent (DES) remains uncertain. In this Review, Miyazaki et al. summarize the evidence on the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy and the risk of bleeding and adverse cardiac events after DES implantation, and describe the pitfalls of trial interpretation. Ongoing trials to test single antiplatelet therapy after DES implantation are also discussed.

Natural killer T (NKT) cells can be activated by both endogenous and exogenous lipid antigens. In this Review, Getz and Reardon provide an overview of NKT cells in the immune system, and propose mechanisms by which NKT cells can promote atherosclerosis.