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Current Hypertension Reports

Open Access 13-04-2024 | Circulatory Disease | Inflammation and Cardiovascular Diseases (A Kirabo, Section Editor)

Neuroimmunology of Cardiovascular Disease

Authors: Sara M. Zarate, Annet Kirabo, Antentor O. Hinton Jr., Monica M. Santisteban

Published in: Current Hypertension Reports

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death and chronic disability worldwide. Yet, despite extensive intervention strategies the number of persons affected by CVD continues to rise. Thus, there is great interest in unveiling novel mechanisms that may lead to new treatments. Considering this dilemma, recent focus has turned to the neuroimmune mechanisms involved in CVD pathology leading to a deeper understanding of the brain’s involvement in disease pathology. This review provides an overview of new and salient findings regarding the neuroimmune mechanisms that contribute to CVD.

Recent Findings

The brain contains neuroimmune niches comprised of glia in the parenchyma and immune cells at the brain’s borders, and there is strong evidence that these neuroimmune niches are important in both health and disease. Mechanistic studies suggest that the activation of glia and immune cells in these niches modulates CVD progression in hypertension and heart failure and contributes to the inevitable end-organ damage to the brain.

Summary

This review provides evidence supporting the role of neuroimmune niches in CVD progression. However, additional research is needed to understand the effects of prolonged neuroimmune activation on brain function.
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Metadata
Title
Neuroimmunology of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors
Sara M. Zarate
Annet Kirabo
Antentor O. Hinton Jr.
Monica M. Santisteban
Publication date
13-04-2024
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Hypertension Reports
Print ISSN: 1522-6417
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3111
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-024-01301-8

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