Mitophagy: Critical Role in Atherosclerosis Progression

Autophagy maintains intracellular homeostasis in the cardiovascular system, including in cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells (ECs), and arterial smooth muscle cells. Mitophagy, a selective autophagy that specifically removes damaged and dysfunctional mitochondria, is particularly important for cardiovascular homeostasis. Dysfunctional mitophagy contributes to cardiovascular disease, particularly atherosclerosis (AS). This review focuses on the advances of regulator mechanisms of mitophagy and its potential roles in AS. The findings are beneficial to understanding the pathological processes of atherosclerotic lesions and provide new ideas for the prevention and clinical treatment of AS.