Identification and Characterisation of Novel Therapeutic Targets Associated with Atherosclerotic Plaque Instability

Myocardial infarction and stroke are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Rupture of vulnerable plaques and subsequent thrombus formation can ultimately occlude the large blood vessels and be harmful to the patients. The newly described tandem stenosis (TS) mouse model of plaque instability has shed light on our understanding of human plaque destabilisation. The research in this thesis utilised the TS mouse model to investigate the roles of miRNA-142, S100a8/S100a9, Coronin1a in atherosclerosis development and plaque instability, and thus potentially develop effective therapies to prevent atherosclerotic complications in humans.