Insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and atherosclerosis

Cell Metab. 2011 Nov 2;14(5):575-85. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2011.07.015.

Abstract

Progress in preventing atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) has been stalled by the epidemic of type 2 diabetes. Further advances in this area demand a thorough understanding of how two major features of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, impact atherosclerosis. Insulin resistance is associated with systemic CAD risk factors, but increasing evidence suggests that defective insulin signaling in atherosclerotic lesional cells also plays an important role. The role of hyperglycemia in CAD associated with type 2 diabetes is less clear. Understanding the mechanisms whereby type 2 diabetes exacerbates CAD offers hope for new therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apolipoproteins B / genetics
  • Apolipoproteins B / metabolism
  • Atherosclerosis / complications
  • Atherosclerosis / metabolism*
  • Atherosclerosis / pathology
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Coronary Artery Disease / complications
  • Coronary Artery Disease / metabolism*
  • Coronary Artery Disease / pathology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / pathology
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / complications
  • Hyperglycemia / metabolism*
  • Hyperglycemia / pathology
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Macrophages / cytology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / cytology
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / metabolism
  • Receptor, Insulin / metabolism
  • Risk Factors
  • Signal Transduction*

Substances

  • Apolipoproteins B
  • Blood Glucose
  • Insulin
  • Receptor, Insulin