Roles of extracellular vesicles derived from immune cells in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis (AS) has become a global health concern due to its contribution to developing other cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction, which can lead to mortality. As a chronic inflammatory disease, the immune system plays a key role in the onset and progression of AS. Given the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in mediating cellular communication, it has been hypothesized that immune cell-derived EVs regulate the pathophysiological process of AS, from initially triggering endothelial dysfunction, to affecting lipid and leukocyte accumulation in the endothelium, until ultimately participating in plaque stability and thrombosis. Therefore, a comprehensive review of immune cell-based EVs in AS development is timely and beneficial. Herein, in this paper, we first describe the general characteristics of EVs, followed by a summary concerning the involvement of immune cell-derived EVs in the occurrence and development of AS. By further highlighting their potential in AS diagnosis and therapeutics, together with a discussion of the prospects and challenges of EVs in clinical translation, we shed light on a new direction for AS clinical management.