J Loscalzo1. 1. Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The relation between atherosclerosis and thrombosis has been recognized for over a century. Until very recently, however, this pathophysiological association has been largely based on observation with little information available to dissect molecular and cellular mechanism. METHODS AND RESULTS: The known associations between the principal determinants of thrombosis (platelets, fibrin and its proteolytic degradation products, and fibrinolytic enzymes) and atherosclerosis; the regulation of thrombotic determinants by cytokines and growth factors important in atherogenesis; and the modulation of thrombotic determinants by atherogenic lipoproteins, especially lipoprotein(a), are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Within this conceptual framework, clear molecular and cellular mechanisms emerge, and a better basic understanding of the thrombotic determinants of atherogenesis can be developed.
BACKGROUND: The relation between atherosclerosis and thrombosis has been recognized for over a century. Until very recently, however, this pathophysiological association has been largely based on observation with little information available to dissect molecular and cellular mechanism. METHODS AND RESULTS: The known associations between the principal determinants of thrombosis (platelets, fibrin and its proteolytic degradation products, and fibrinolytic enzymes) and atherosclerosis; the regulation of thrombotic determinants by cytokines and growth factors important in atherogenesis; and the modulation of thrombotic determinants by atherogenic lipoproteins, especially lipoprotein(a), are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Within this conceptual framework, clear molecular and cellular mechanisms emerge, and a better basic understanding of the thrombotic determinants of atherogenesis can be developed.