Macrophage Autophagy Plays a Protective Role in Advanced Atherosclerosis

In advanced atherosclerosis, macrophage apoptosis coupled with defective phagocytic clearance of the apoptotic cells (efferocytosis) promotes plaque necrosis, which precipitates acute atherothrombotic cardiovascular events. Oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in macrophages are important causes of advanced lesional macrophage apoptosis. We now show that proapoptotic oxidative/ER stress inducers trigger another stress reaction in...