Scientometrics
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Stem Cells. Dec 26, 2024; 16(12): 1062-1085
Published online Dec 26, 2024. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v16.i12.1062
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy in atherosclerosis: A bibliometric and visual analysis
Xing Cheng, Ya-Ling Li, Heng Wang, Rui-Jing Zhang, Ke-Yi Fan, Xiao-Tong Qi, Guo-Ping Zheng, Hong-Lin Dong
Xing Cheng, Ya-Ling Li, Heng Wang, Ke-Yi Fan, Xiao-Tong Qi, Guo-Ping Zheng, Hong-Lin Dong, Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China
Heng Wang, Guo-Ping Zheng, Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2145, New South Wales, Australia
Rui-Jing Zhang, Department of Nephrology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China
Co-first authors: Xing Cheng and Ya-Ling Li.
Co-corresponding authors: Guo-Ping Zheng and Hong-Lin Dong.
Author contributions: Cheng X, Li YL, and Wang H contributed equally to this study. Zheng GP and Dong HL designed the research study; Zheng GP and Dong HL are the co-corresponding authors of this manuscript; Cheng X, Li YL, and Wang H conducted the data analysis, interpretation, figures and tables drawing, and manuscript writing; Zhang RJ conducted the data collection; Fan KY and Qi XT conducted the assembly of data and drawing of figures and tables; and all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by the Regional Cooperation Program of Shanxi Province, China, No. 202204041101038; the Construction and Demonstration of the Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Platform for Vascular Diseases in Shanxi Province, China, No. SCP-2023-17; and Translational Medicine Engineering Research Center for Vascular Diseases of Shanxi Province, China, No. 2022017.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hong-Lin Dong, MD, Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, No. 382 Wuyi Road, Xinghualing District, Taiyuan 030000, Shanxi Province, China. honglindong@sxmu.edu.cn
Received: May 3, 2024
Revised: October 15, 2024
Accepted: November 18, 2024
Published online: December 26, 2024
Processing time: 223 Days and 20.6 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of self-renewal and differentiation, and extensive studies have demonstrated their therapeutic potential in atherosclerosis (AS).

AIM

To conduct a bibliometric analysis of studies on the use of MSC therapy for AS over the past two decades, assess key trends and provide insights for future research directions.

METHODS

We systematically searched the Web of Science Core Collection database for articles published between 1999 and 2023, yielding a total of 556 articles. Visual representation and bibliometric analysis of information and trends were facilitated using CiteSpace, the R package ‘bibliometrix’ and VOSviewer.

RESULTS

The analyzed articles were predominantly from 52 countries/regions, with prominent contributions from China and the United States. A cohort of 3057 authors contributed to these publications, with the works of Libby P distinguished by their influence and citation count. Int J Mol Sci has emerged as the journal with the highest publication volume, prominently disseminating influential papers and identifying citation outbreaks. Furthermore, our analysis identified current research hotspots within the field, focusing on vascular progenitor cells, inflammatory mechanisms, and extracellular vesicles. Emerging research frontiers, such as extracellular vesicles and oxidative stress, have been highlighted as areas of burgeoning interest. Finally, we offer perspectives on the status of research and future directions of MSC therapy in AS.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights for advancing scientific research on MSC therapy for AS. By elucidating pivotal trends and research directions, this study aimed to foster innovation and promote the progress of disciplines in this field, thereby contributing to advancing scientific knowledge and clinical practice.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Treatment strategy; Bibliometrics; Visual analysis; CiteSpace

Core Tip: This study provided a comprehensive overview of the research landscape on mesenchymal stem cell therapy in atherosclerosis through detailed bibliometric analysis. It not only collated and presented key studies in this field but also highlighted emerging trends, significant developments, and potential future research directions, providing a valuable foundation for further exploration and application of stem cell therapy in the treatment of atherosclerosis.