The vascular biology of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors: modulation of atherosclerosis.

Accumulating evidence suggests that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists possess powerful antiatherosclerotic properties, by both directly affecting the vascular wall and indirectly affecting systemic inflammation and insulin sensitivity. The PPARs are ligand-activated transcription factors, which play a number of important physiological roles in lipid and glucose homeostasis. Activation of PPARgamma appears to exert a vasculoprotective effect by limiting endothelial dysfunction, impairing atherogenesis and preventing restenosis, while simultaneously and favourably modulating adipokine expression and lipid metabolism. Several experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated the potential of the PPAR agonist drug class in terms of treating atherosclerotic disease. In the present review, the vascular biology of PPARs, and how the modulation of these molecular pathways may serve as a therapeutic strategy to prevent atherosclerosis, vascular inflammation and restenosis are discussed.