The roles and regulatory mechanisms of cigarette smoke constituents in vascular remodeling

Abstract

Vascular remodeling is a dynamic process involving cellular and molecular changes, including cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis or degradation, which disrupt the homeostasis of endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Cigarette smoke exposure (CSE) is thought to promote vascular remodeling, but the components are complex and the mechanisms are unclear. In this review, we overview the progression of major components of cigarette smoke (CS), such as nicotine and acrolein, involved in vascular remodeling in terms of ECs injury, VSMCs proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and ECM disruption. The aim was to elucidate the effects of different components of CS on different cells of the vascular system, to discover the relevance of their actions, and to provide new references for future studies.

Keywords: Acrolein; Nicotine; Reactive oxygen species; Vascular remodeling.