REVIEW The role of high-density lipoproteins in the regulation of angiogenesis

Abstract Angiogenesis is important for postnatal physiological processes including tissue neovascularization in response to an is-chaemic injury. Conversely, uncontrolled inflammatory-driven angiogenesis can accelerate atherosclerotic plaque and tumour growth. Angiogenesis-associated diseases are highly prevalent globally, with cardiovascular-related disorders and cancer being the leading causes of mortality worldwide. A vast amount of research has been conducted on the vas-culoprotective effects of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) and while current HDL-raising therapies to date have not yielded the desired benefits clinically, its role in angiogenesis is yet to be fully elucidated. Epidemiological studies report positive correlations between elevated HDL levels and improved prognosis in both ischaemia- and inflamma-tory-driven pathologies, in which angiogenesis plays a key role. This review focuses on current evidence from epidemio-logical and prospective studies, coupled with animal models and mechanistic studies that highlight the ability of HDL to conditionally regulate angiogenesis