Oxidative stress, inflammation and atherosclerotic plaque development

Although the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis are not completely understood, it is widely recognized that both inflammation and oxidative stress play important roles in all of the phases of atherosclerosis evolution. The oxidative modification hypothesis of atherosclerosis supports the concept that oxidation of circulating low density lipoprotein (LDL) plays a key role in the early phases of atherogenesis. However, in addition to LDL oxidation, other oxidative events are worth noting in the setting of atherosclerosis, such as the generation of oxygen reactive species. These compounds are crucial mediators in the signaling pathways underlying vascular inflammation, from the initial phases of fatty streak formation to atherosclerotic plaque evolution toward instability and rupture. In this manuscript, we summarize the newest evidence linking oxidative signaling to inflammation and atherosclerosis evolution. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.