Hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for
atherosclerosis that is characterized by
lipid accumulation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and smooth muscle cell proliferation. It is well known that
hyperlipidemia is a stimulator for endothelial dysfunction and smooth muscle cell migration during
vascular disease development. Recently, it was found that vessel wall contains a variable number of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are quiescent in physiological conditions, but can be activated by a variety of stimuli, e.g., increased
lipid level or
hyperlipidemia. Vascular MSCs displayed characteristics of stem cells which can differentiate into several types of cells, e.g., smooth muscle cells, adipocytic, chondrocytic, and osteocytic lineages. In vitro,
lipid loading can induce MSC migration and
chemokines secretion. After MSC migration into the intima, they play an essential role in inflammatory response and cell accumulation during the initiation and progression of
atherosclerosis. In addition, MSC
transplantation has been explored as a therapeutic approach to treat
atherosclerosis in animal models. In this review, we aim to summarize current progress in characterizing the identity of vascular MSCs and to discuss the mechanisms involved in the response of vascular stem/progenitor cells to
lipid loading, as well as to explore therapeutic strategies for
vascular diseases and shed new light on regenerative medicine.