THE FUNCTION, ORIGIN AND MAINTENANCE OF LYVE-1-EXPRESSING MACROPHAGES

Abstract

Lymphatic endothelial hyaluronic acid receptor-1 (LYVE-1), is a marker identifying lymphatic vessels but it is also expressed by some tissue macrophages. Our laboratory showed that a subset of LYVE-1+ resident macrophages lining large blood vessels is important in maintaining the vascular wall integrity, in particular through the modulation of extracellular matrix components in vascular smooth muscle cells. Since the lack of LYVE-1+ macrophages resulted in arterial stiffening which is one of the hallmarks of vascular ageing, we also investigate the involvement of these macrophages in vascular ageing. Lastly, we also study whether age-related vascular remodelling can be reversed by exposure of old mice to young circulation through parabiosis. The understanding of the function and maintenance of LYVE-1+ macrophages, as well as the identification of pathways reversing vascular remodelling are crucial for future clinical translation, especially for the treatment and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.