The role of innate immunity in calcific aortic valve disease
Calcific aortic valve disease(CAVD)is the most common disease affecting the heart valves,character-ized by thickening,fibrosis,and mineralization of the aortic valve leaflets.Currently,there is no effective pharmacologi-cal treatment.Aortic valve calcification is a complex and multifactorial process involving valve inflammation,fibrosis,calcification,valve thickening and outflow tract obstruction.The exact pathophysiological mechanisms of CAVD are not fully understood,but many studies have suggested that innate immune cells play a key role in the development of aortic valve calcification.This review focuses on the current role of innate immune cells in the development of CAVD.