Emerging Roles of Thrombospondin Family Proteins in Pathogenesis and Risk Assessment of Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

Abstract

Background: Atherosclerotic vascular disease underpins a vast majority of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality,encompassing not only coronary artery disease but also cerebrovascular and peripheral arterial complications. Despite extensive knowledge of classical risk factors, there remains a critical need to understand the molecular mediators driving atherogenesis, plaque progression, and vascular complications. The thrombospondin (TSP) family of matricellular proteins—including TSP-1 through TSP-5—has recently emerged as a group of multifunctional regulators with distinct and overlapping roles in vascular biology. These glycoproteins mediate extracellular matrix remodeling, cellular adhesion,immune cell recruitment, angiogenesis, and the regulation of inflammatory and thrombotic responses, thereby influencing every stage of atherogenesis and vascular injury repair.