title: Plasmacytoid dendritic cells: from heart to vessels.
abstract: Cardiovascular diseases, formerly only attributed to the alterations of the stromal component, are now recognized as immune-based pathologies. Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (pDCs) are important immune orchestrators in heart and vessels. They highly produce IFN type I that promote the polarization of T cells towards a Th1 phenotype; however, pDCs can also participate to suppressive networks via the recruitment of T regulatory cells that downmodulate proinflammatory responses. pDCs populate the vessel wall layers during pathological conditions, such as atherosclerosis. It is thus clear that a better identification of pDCs activity in cardiovascular diseases can not only elucidate pathological mechanisms but also lead to new therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Science Department, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosalinda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morello
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinto