Abstract
Inflammation has a pivotal role in cardiovascular disease because it contributes to
the progression of atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the vessel wall.
Microparticles (MPs) have recently emerged as both surrogate markers for different
cardiovascular conditions (i.e., biomarkers of vascular inflammation and coagulation)
and paracrine biological shuttle modules with influence in target cells. MPs are vesicles
that bud off from cells, lack a nucleus, contain a membrane skeleton, and are defined
by their size and expression on their surface of antigens specific of parental cells.
Interestingly, not only inflammation is one of the main stimuli causing MP release
but also MPs, in its turn, can induce, regulate, and even in specific cases reduce
inflammation. The present review aims to summarize and update the role of circulating
MPs in inflammation and hemostasis with special emphasis on their novel associations
and functions. Besides their role as biomarkers of atherosclerotic inflammation, blood-borne
MPs possess mechanisms to alter vascular cell milieu, to disseminate proinflammatory
mediators, and to spread the inflammatory cascade reaction, causing a chronic inflammation
of the vascular wall and aggravating the atherothrombotic process.
Keywords
atherosclerosis - circulating microparticles - hemostasis - inflammation
