Oxidized LDL antibodies in treatment and risk assessment of atherosclerosis and associated cardiovascular disease.
Immune responses against oxidized forms of LDL play a critical role in activation and regulation of the inflammatory process that characterizes all stages of atherosclerosis. In humans oxidized LDL is targeted by both IgM and IgG autoantibodies. Immunization of hypercholesterolemic animals with oxidized LDL has been shown to inhibit atherosclerosis demonstrating that at least some of these immune responses have a protective effect. The identification of the structures in oxidized LDL that are responsible for activation of immunity has made it possible to develop novel therapeutic approaches for treatment of atherosclerosis based on active (vaccines) and passive (antibodies) immunization. Studies performed in atherosclerosis-prone mice demonstrate that both peptide-based vaccines and recombinant IgG targeting epitopes in oxidized LDL significantly reduce atherosclerosis. There is also evidence antibodies against oxidized LDL could also be used for imaging atherosclerosis.
Nilsson
Jan
J
Department of Clinical Sciences, CRC Entrance 72;91:12, Malmö University Hospital, S-20502 Malmö, Sweden. jan.nilsson@med.lu.se
Nordin Fredrikson
Gunilla
G
Schiopu
Alexandru
A
Shah
Prediman K
PK
Jansson
Bo
B
Carlsson
Roland
R
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein