sFRP5 ameliorates atherosclerosis by suppressing the JNK/TLR9 pathway in macrophages

mice. Aortic RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed sFRP5-mediated regulation in inflammatory cells. Our experiments confirmed that sFRP5 inhibits inflammation and macrophage migration. Mechanistically, Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) was identified as a downstream target of sFRP5, and sFRP5 suppressed TLR9 expression by decreasing c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation. These findings suggest that serum sFRP5 levels are associated with plaque stability and play a protective role in atherosclerosis by attenuating inflammation and macrophage infiltration via inhibition of the JNK/TLR9 pathway, thereby ameliorating the progression of atherosclerosis. This study highlights the potential of sFRP5 as both a biomarker and therapeutic target for plaque stability in atherosclerosis.