Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Specifically, myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke caused by atherosclerosis are the leading causes of death. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the development of atherosclerotic plaques in the inner lining of the arteries, triggered by a variety of risk factors that injure the endothelium and promote lipoprotein retention and modification, combined with leukocyte infiltration, proliferation, and activation. Proteomics is a technology that has witnessed a remarkable progress in recent years and has shown a great potential to improve our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying pathophysiological processes. This chapter will summarize recent findings achieved by mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics that can help to understand the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and to identify potential biomarkers.