Cellular differential impact of the Rap1 on atherosclerosis
SONG Shan-Shan1, YANG Hui-Ru1, YI Xiao-Li1, YU Jun2, XU Chuan-Ming1,*
1Translational Medicine Centre, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China;2Center for Metabolic Disease Research and Department of Physiology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia 19140, USA
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality, posing a significant threat to human health due to the high incidence rate. Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease, serves as the primary pathological basis for most such conditions. The incidence of atherosclerosis continues to rise, but its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. As an important member of the small GTPase superfamily, Ras-association proximate 1 (Rap1) is an important molecular switch involved in the regulation of multiple physiological functions including cell differentiation, proliferation, and adhesion. Rap1 achieves the utility of the molecular switch by cycling between Rap1-GTP and Rap1-GDP. Rap1 may influence the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis in a cell-specific manner. This article summarizes the potential role and mechanism of Rap1 in the progression of atherosclerosis in different cells, aiming to provide new therapeutic targets and strategies for clinical intervention.
Key words: Atherosclerosis; Rap1; endothelial cell; Macrophage; vascular smooth muscle cell
Received: Accepted:
Corresponding author: 许传铭 E-mail:
DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2025.0045
Citing This Article:
SONG Shan-Shan, YANG Hui-Ru, YI Xiao-Li, YU Jun, XU Chuan-Ming. Cellular differential impact of the Rap1 on atherosclerosis. Acta Physiol Sin 2025; 77 (3): 483-492 (in Chinese with English abstract).