[Inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis].

It is widely accepted that atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall. According to the response to injury hypothesis of atherosclerosis, the injured endothelium is activated and expresses adhesion molecules and cytokines, leading to inflammatory cell recruitment and infiltration into the subendothelium. Infiltrated inflammatory cells secrete cytokines and growth factors which induce migration and proliferation of smooth muscles, resulting in the development of atherosclerosis. Since cytokines are bioactive factors which regulate cell to cell interaction, cytokines play an key role in the process of atherosclerosis. This review will focus on the role of inflammatory cytokines in the development of atherosclerosis.