Impact of Arterial Wall Injury on Atherosclerosis Initiation and Potential for Targeted Therapy

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is initiated in the arterial intima following injury, while media is the least known in atherogenesis. This thesis examined changes to the media following micro-injuries in pig aortas and assessed human carotid plaques to detect atherogenesis in the media. This thesis presents evidence that atherogenesis can begin in the medial layer, potentially influencing plaque rupture mechanisms. Furthermore, this work supports TNFa-CSG as a promising anti-atherosclerotic drug, offering a unique lipid-clearing approach compared to current therapies.