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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Oct 16.
Published in final edited form as: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2018 Sep;38(9):e159–e170. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.310227

Figure 3. The role of miRNAs in regulation of macrophage functions in atherosclerosis.

Figure 3

During atherosclerosis progression, miR-33 expression levels increase in lesional macrophages, suppressing lipid phagocytosis, cholesterol efflux and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, thus promoting foam cell formation and inflammation responses. The increased miR-21 levels protect against atherosclerosis by inhibiting the hyperlipidemia-induced cytokine synthesis and promoting cholesterol efflux. MiR-21 also facilitates higher cholesterol efflux out of macrophages. MiRNAs expressed in extracellular vesicles, such as miR-146a, miR-128. miR-185, miR-365 and miR-503, are able to reduce the migration of macrophages, thus attenuating the progression of atherosclerosis.