CTSB promotes ferroptosis in macrophage-derived foam cells and aggravates plaque instability via the NRF2/HMOX1 axis.
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease characterized by lipid accumulation and plaque formation, representing a leading cause of life-threatening cardiovascular events. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death driven by lipid peroxidation, has been implicated in atherosclerotic progression;...