AUTHOR=Li Junyi , Zhou Li , Ouyang Xinping , He Pingping TITLE=Transcription Factor-7-Like-2 (TCF7L2) in Atherosclerosis: A Potential Biomarker and Therapeutic Target JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine VOLUME=8 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2021.701279 DOI=10.3389/fcvm.2021.701279 ISSN=2297-055X ABSTRACT=

Transcription factor-7-like-2 (TCF7L2), a vital member of the T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) family, plays an important role in normal human physiological and pathological processes. TCF7L2 exhibits multiple anti-atherosclerotic effects through the activation of specific molecular mechanisms, including regulation of metabolic homeostasis, macrophage polarization, and neointimal hyperplasia. A single-nucleotide substitution of TCF7L2, rs7903146, is a genetic high-risk factor for type 2 diabetes and indicates susceptibility to cardiovascular disease as a link between metabolic disorders and atherosclerosis. In this review, we summarize the anti-atherosclerosis effect and novel mechanisms underlying the function of TCF7L2 to elucidate its potential as an anti-atherosclerosis biomarker and provide a novel therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases.