Atherosclerosis Treatment and Prevention

In recent years, the understanding of the pathophysiological processes of atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the vessel wall being the leading cause for mortality in industrial countries, has tremendously increased. The feasibility of translating such knowledge to novel therapeutic approaches is currently being explored at various levels. This book highlights advances in atherosclerosis and links these to relevant therapeutic strategies. It compiles and details cutting-edge research in cardiovascular medicine from internationally renowned authors.

Novel approaches in treatment of atherosclerosis. Chemokines as therapeutic targets of atherosclerosis. MIF antagonism as a therapeutic approach to atherosclerosis. Peptide-based vaccination strategies to promote Treg- or antibody-mediated atheroprotection. Modulation of prostanoids in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Stabilization of mast cells for taming vulnerable plaques. HDL, ABC transporters, and cholesterol efflux as therapeutic targets in atherosclerosis. Role of selective phospholipase A2 inhibition in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Modulation of the rennin-angiotensin system in atherosclerosis. Role of matrix metalloproteases as targets for the prevention of atherosclerosis. Probucol-derivates in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Interference with apoptosis and ER stress in the treatment of atherosclerosis. MicroRNAs in the pathogenesis and therapy of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Neutrophils and their granule proteins in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Platelets in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Costimulatory molecules in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Christian Weber is Chair and Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Prevention at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. After graduating in medicine and completing his training in internal medicine at Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany, and at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, he was appointed Professor of Molecular Cardiology at RWTH Aachen University in 2001 and board-certified in clinical cardiology in 2004. Since 2006, he has had a joint appointment as a Professor at the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht. His group is interested in molecular interactions and pathophysiological functions of chemokines and their receptors, adhesion molecules and immune cell subsets in vascular disease. His clinical interests are focused on the prevention of cardiovascular disease using biomarkers and genetic or cellular diagnostics. He is Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology, Editor-in-Chief of Thrombosis and Haemostasis and co-founder of Carolus Therapeutics.

Oliver Soehnlein is a group leader at the Institute of Cardiovascular Prevention at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. After having received his M.D. in 2004 from the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen, Germany, he continued his research at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, where he received his Ph.D. in Physiology in 2008. Thereafter, he was recruited to the RWTH Aachen University, Germany and in 2011 to the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich where he leads a junior research group focusing on the cellular interplay between myeloid cell subsets in acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.