Inflammation and immune response in atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease with a significant autoimmune component. Studies using transgenic murine models have clarified that recruitment of mononuclear leukocytes through vascular leukocyte-adhesion molecules and chemokines, differentiation of monocytes to macrophages, and endocytosis through scavenger receptors all are of decisive importance for atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic mice. T and B cells modulate disease progression and lesion development is reduced in mice lacking adaptive immunity. In particular, local immune responses eliciting Th1 effector mechanisms appear to be proatherogenic, whereas protective immune responses can be induced by immunization with oxidized low-density lipoprotein. Thus, innate immunity is necessary for atherosclerosis, whereas adaptive immunity is an important modulator of disease development.
Hansson
G K
GK
Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska HospitalKarolinska Institutet, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden.
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001158:Arteries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000502:physiology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000502:physiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; D051122:Scavenger Receptors, Class B; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001324:Autoantigens; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018925:Chemokines; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; C454739:Scarb1 protein, mouse; D051122:Scavenger Receptors, Class B; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein