IRF7 orchestrates maladaptive smooth muscle cell phenotype switching in atherosclerosis
These findings identify IRF7 as a critical checkpoint in maladaptive SMC phenotype switching. We demonstrate that IRF7 drives the transdifferentiation of SMCs into a pro-inflammatory macrophage-like state, thereby fueling plaque instability. Consequently, therapeutic strategies capable of inhibiting IRF7-mediated SMC plasticity may prove effective in stabilizing vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques.
Authors
- Wanrong Xie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5872-1228)
- Xinghua Pan
- HF Zhang
- Xin Chen
- Rundong Cai
- Haiying Zhu
- Qi Wang
- Chun Liang
Institutions
- Macau University of Science and Technology (MO)
- University of Southern California (US)
- Second Military Medical University (CN)
- Shanghai Changzheng Hospital (CN)
- Southern Medical University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Precision Clinical Medicine
- Published
- 2025-12-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/pcmedi/pbaf039
- Primary Topic
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China