Cardio-metabolic disease injures the microvasculature in multiple tissues, suggesting vasa vasorum dysfunction may be a missing link in atherosclerosis development and progression.
The arterial vasa vasorum is a specialized microvasculature that provides critical perfusion required for the health of the arterial wall, and is increasingly recognized to play a central role in atherogenesis. Cardio-metabolic disease (CMD) (including hypertension, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and pre-diabetes) is associated with insulin resistance, and characteristically injures the microvasculature in multiple tissues, (e.g., the eye, kidney, muscle, and heart). CMD also increases the risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease. Despite this, the impact of CMD on vasa vasorum structure and function has been little studied. Here we review emerging information on the early impact of CMD on the microvasculature in multiple tissues and consider the potential impact on atherosclerosis development and progression, if vasa vasorum is similarly affected.
Owusu et al. (Thu,) conducted a review in Cardio-metabolic disease and atherosclerosis. Cardio-metabolic disease injures the microvasculature in multiple tissues, suggesting vasa vasorum dysfunction may be a missing link in atherosclerosis development and progression.