The latest advances in imaging crosstalk between the immune system and fibrosis in cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Inflammation and fibrosis are hallmarks of tissue repair processes and organ failure progression in cardiovascular diseases. Paradigm-shifting research on diverse immune cell populations within the cardiovascular system have enabled discovery of new biomarkers fostering development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents at the molecular level to better manage cardiovascular diseases. To date, a variety of molecular imaging agents have been developed to visualize the biomarkers expressed on immune cells and fibroblasts within their crosstalk network, which drives the pathogenesis of fibrosis triggered by both innate and adaptive immunity. Herein, key biomarkers upregulated in the immune-fibrosis axis are discussed. The promising molecular imaging agents to reveal this critical pathologic process are summarized.