Evidence mapPaperPMID 40574648Full record

ReviewEuropean heart journal2025

Smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis: essential but overlooked translational perspectives.

Pascal Azar, Kai-Uwe Jarr, Delphine Gomez, Helle F Jørgensen, Nicholas J Leeper, Marie-Luce Bochaton-Piallat

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in European heart journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Olfactomedin-2 at the Crossroads of Smooth Muscle Cell Plasticity.Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology · 2026
    Article
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  4. CIITA/PRMT5 promote CD4BMC medicine · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Pascal AzarDepartment of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-0022-0367
Kai-Uwe JarrDepartment of Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-3376-6478
Delphine GomezDepartment of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3880-6961
Helle F JørgensenDepartment of Medicine, Section of Cardiorespiratory Medicine, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart & Lung Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-7909-2977
Nicholas J LeeperDepartment of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0905-2806
Marie-Luce Bochaton-PiallatDepartment of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-8408-8932

Funding

Clonal expansion, resistance to efferocytosis and innate immunity in atherosclerosisR35HL144475 · NHLBI · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI Nicholas James Leeper · 2022 to 2024
$2.6M
Epigenetic control of smooth muscle cell phenotype during microvascular remodelingR01HL146465 · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2025 to 2025
$785k
Mechano-epigenetic disruption in aortic aneurysmR01HL166425 · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2025 to 2025
$664k
American Heart Association EIA34770065British Heart Foundation CH/2000003/12800British Heart Foundation FS/SBSRF/24/31040British Heart Foundation PG/23/11350British Heart Foundation RE/18/1/34212British Heart Foundation SP/F/23/150049Corona-Stiftung S0199/10105/2024Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 2869/3-1Deutsche Gesellschaft für Innere MedizinDeutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung B24-009 SEElse Kröner-Fresenius StiftungFondation Gustave et Simone PrévotGreathouse Family FoundationNHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL146465NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL166425NIH HHS R01HL146465NIH HHS R01HL166425NIH HHS R35HL 144475Novo Nordisk A/SSwiss Heart Foundation FF23109Swiss National Science Foundation 10.000.969
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Smooth muscle cells have been identified as the most abundant cell type present in the atherosclerotic plaque, the culprit underlying most cardiovascular diseases and their fatal outcomes. Despite their crucial role in plaque formation and progression, smooth muscle cells do not receive as much attention as inflammatory or endothelial cells. The purpose of this review is to examine the roles of smooth muscle cells in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and their potential as therapeutic targets. A comprehensive overview of current insights into smooth muscle cell phenotypic diversity, function, and spatial localization within stable and unstable plaques, focusing on their relevance to human pathology is discussed. The review also addresses the contribution of clonal expansion of smooth muscle cells in plaque progression, evaluates emerging diagnostic tools which may reflect smooth muscle cell physiology, and highlights strategies to modulate smooth muscle cell behaviour for improved cardiovascular outcomes. Special attention is given to the clinical translation of these therapies, considering the challenges and opportunities in leveraging smooth muscle cells as therapeutic targets.

Indexed as

AtherosclerosisMuscle, Smooth, VascularMyocytes, Smooth MuscleAnimalsHumansPlaque, AtheroscleroticTranslational Research, BiomedicalAtherosclerosisLineage tracingPlaque stabilizationPlaque vulnerabilitySmooth muscle cellsTherapeutic targetTranscriptomic

Identifiers

PMID40574648
PMCPMC12972687

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.