Atherosclerotic lesions preferentially develop at arterial regions exposed to disturbed blood flow, while those exposed to stable flow remain protected. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying blood flow and focal atherosclerosis development remain incompletely understood. Through the combination of the partial carotid ligation model of atherosclerosis and innovative approaches both in vitro and in vivo, we have uncovered the flow-sensitive nature of HEG1 and its novel atheroprotective roles during acute and chronic atherosclerosis development.
Circulation2023-12-20