Scavenger Receptors and Their Potential as Therapeutic Targets in the Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

Figure 1

A generic model for scavenger receptor-mediated ligand binding, internalization, and signal cascade activation. Scavenger receptors bind negatively charged ligands through clusters of conserved positively charged residues. Ligands are internalized by scavenger receptors using a range of different clathrin-dependent and independent pathways. Ligands can be degraded or accumulate. Ligand binding can activate signaling cascades leading to diverse cellular functions including lipid peroxidation, apoptosis, endothelial cell dysfunction, and monocyte attachment and differentiation leading to foam cell formation.