SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Med.
Sec. Pathology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1621079
This article is part of the Research TopicMitochondrial Dynamics and Endothelial Dysfunction: Implications for Metabolic DisordersView all 3 articles
Bibliometric Analysis of Research Hotspots and Emerging Trends in Mitophagy and Atherosclerosis (2004-2024)
Provisionally accepted
- 1Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- 2National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese medical sciences, Beijing, China
- 3Hohhot Traditional Chinese and Mongolian Medicine Hospital, the Nei Monggol Autonomous Region, China
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Background: Mitophagy is closely involved in the onset, progression and pathological mechanisms of atherosclerosis. This study set out to provide a comprehensive overview and identify emerging research trends in the field.Methods: A systematic literature retrieval was conducted across the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) for publications spanning 2004 to 2024. Bibliometric analyses and knowledge mapping were performed utilizing CiteSpace, VOSviewer, R-Bibliometrix, Scimago Graphica and Excel to evaluate the intellectual landscape of the field.Results: The analysis reveals a fluctuating but overall increasing trend in annual publications. The United States and China are the primary contributors to the body of research, with leading institutions predominantly located in China, the United States, and Russia. Notably, the works of Orekhov AN stand out in terms of both quantity and quality. The most cited studies is Forrester SJ's 2018 publication in Circulation Research. Additionally, keyword analysis highlights the prevailing research hotspots, including: 1) key molecules such as NF κB, NLRP3 inflammasome, and mitochondrial DNA; 2) critical pathological processes such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and mitochondrial dynamics; 3) and the role of mitophagy within vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.The study of mitophagy in atherosclerosis has garnered increasing attention, with substantial progress made in understanding its molecular and cellular mechanisms. This work highlights the current research hotspots and identifies prospective directions for future exploration. Further investigation into the intricate mechanisms governing mitophagy may uncover novel therapeutic strategies that could mitigate the progression of atherosclerosis.
Keywords: Atherosclerosis, mitophagy, Molecules, Pathological process, Bibliometrics
Received: 30 Apr 2025; Accepted: 15 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ding, Zhang, Song, Wang, Song, Tian, Chen and Xu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Hao Xu, National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Cardiology, Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese medical sciences, Beijing, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.