Researchers Identify Sex-Biased Cell States in Atherosclerosis
New study reveals distinct endothelial cell behavior in male and female mice aortas during disease progression.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Diseases — General
Scientists have mapped sex-specific endothelial cell subpopulations in atherosclerotic mouse aortas. The findings illustrate how distinct cellular transitions contribute to plaque development based on biological sex.
Why it matters
Understanding sex-specific differences in vascular cell behavior provides a deeper look into the biological drivers of cardiovascular disease. This mapping highlights potential avenues for sex-tailored research into how plaques form and progress.
Researchers identified nine sex-biased endothelial cell subpopulations using single-nucleus RNA sequencing in mice. Roughly one quarter of the tracked endothelial lineage cells were observed transitioning into adipocyte-like, smooth muscle-like, or fibroblast-like states.
The details
Using lineage tracing in high-fat diet models, the team discovered that female mice showed an enrichment in Sox17+ and Mki67+ cells, while males displayed more Col8a1+ and Fmo2+ cells. These pathways suggest that endothelial cells shift identities at different frequencies depending on the sex of the subject, with transitions to smooth muscle-like states favoring females.
Timeline
The research findings were published on October 26, 2026.
The Big Picture
The research extends the goals of the human cell atlas initiative by mapping specific cell lineage transitions in the context of cardiovascular pathology. This study marks a departure from traditional models that treated vascular cell response to atherosclerosis as uniform across sexes.
This research provides a fundamental scientific basis for understanding why cardiovascular disease may present differently in men and women. Long-term, these findings could guide the development of sex-specific diagnostic tools or personalized preventative care strategies.
The takeaway
This study underscores the necessity of considering sex as a critical biological variable in vascular research. Future medical applications will likely depend on targeting these specific cellular pathways identified in distinct, sex-biased subpopulations.
Further reading
For more information on cardiovascular research, visit our Diseases — General section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nature.
