About this Research Topic

Background

In the field of cardiovascular research, the relationship between alcohol consumption and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD) remains a highly debated topic despite decades of epidemiological and laboratory studies. These investigations have revealed both the protective effects of low-to-moderate alcohol consumption and detrimental impacts of heavy drinking on arterial health, alongside significant morbidity and mortality. However, recent advanced analytical techniques, like Mendelian randomization, have highlighted potential methodological flaws in earlier studies—such as the misclassification of sick quitters as abstainers and biases stemming from healthier lifestyle factors among moderate drinkers. These issues cast doubt on the supposed cardioprotective benefits of minimal alcohol intake and underscore the necessity for a robust basic scientific investigation into the mechanisms of alcohol-related atherogenesis both in vivo and in vitro.

This Research Topic aims to deepen the basic scientific understanding of how various components of alcoholic beverages (ethanol, acetaldehyde, and polyphenols found in red wine) influence cardiovascular and arterial health. Given that ACVD remains a leading cause of death globally and that alcohol consumption is a prevalent, modifiable behavior, clarifying its effects could provide crucial insights. This is particularly urgent in light of conflicting evidence about alcohol's biphasic effects on heart health, which is not yet fully understood.

To gather further insights within this complex field, the following themes are particularly encouraged for exploration:

-Mechanistic studies on ethanol and its primary metabolite acetaldehyde in atherosclerosis.
-The role of red wine polyphenols in modulating heart health.
-Effects of different alcohol exposure levels on arterial and myocardial cells in animal models and cell cultures.
-Investigation of atherogenesis through basic science approaches.
-Development of potential new treatments for ACVD based on alcohol-related research findings.

The Topic Editors welcome all manuscript types that explore these mechanisms, including studies in human subjects, animal models, and cell culture systems such as endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, stem cells, myocytes, and monocytes/macrophages.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: alcohol, ethanol, acetaldehyde, red wine polyphenols, atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, vascular smooth muscle, Endothelial Cells, Vascular Pathology, ACVD, Cardiac, Immune Cells

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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