Distinct types of regulated cell death in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder with high morbidity and mortality, leading to serious complications like myocardial infarction and strokes. Key cell types involved in atherosclerotic lesions include vascular endothelial cells (VEC), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and macrophages. Types of regulated cell death (RCD) are significant in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, including apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, efferocytosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, cuproptosis, lysosome-dependent cell death, NETotic cell death, paraptosis, alkaliptosis, oxeiptosis, entotic cell death and PANoptosis. The regulatory mechanisms and the crosstalk between different types of cells during atherosclerosis are complex, and the exact molecular basis remains obscure. Currently, numerous drugs and compounds have been found to attenuate atherosclerosis by targeting RCD. The review aims to provide an overview of RCD types related to VEC, VSMC, and macrophages in atherosclerosis, providing a reliable theoretical basis of the cellular mechanisms and exploring potential therapeutic strategies.