Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Atherosclerosis: Perspectives and Ongoing Controversies

Atherosclerosis is a major contributor to life-threatening cardiovascular events, the leading cause of death worldwide. Since the mechanisms of atherosclerosis have not been fully understood, currently, there are no effective approaches to regressing atherosclerosis. Therefore, there is a dire need to explore the mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse the progression of atherosclerosis. In recent years, stem cell-based therapies have held promises to various diseases, including atherosclerosis. Unfortunately, the efficacy of stem cell-based therapies for atherosclerosis as reported in the literature has been inconsistent or even conflicting. In this review, we summarize the current literature of stem cell-based therapies for atherosclerosis and discuss possible mechanisms and future directions of these potential therapies.