title: BAFF receptor deficiency reduces the development of atherosclerosis in mice--brief report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to assess the role of B-cell activating factor (BAFF) receptor in B-cell regulation of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male LDL receptor-deficient mice (Ldlr(-/-)) were lethally irradiated and reconstituted with either wild type or BAFF receptor (BAFF-R)-deficient bone marrow. After 4 weeks of recovery, mice were put on a high-fat diet for 6 or 8 weeks. BAFF-R deficiency in bone marrow cells led to a marked reduction of conventional mature B2 cells but did not affect the B1a cell subtype. This was associated with a significant reduction of dendritic cell activation and T-cell proliferation along with a reduction of IgG antibodies against malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein. In contrast, serum IgM type antibodies were preserved. Interestingly, BAFF-R deficiency was associated with a significant reduction in atherosclerotic lesion development and reduced numbers of plaque T cells. Selective BAFF-R deficiency on B cells led to a similar reduction in lesion size and T-cell infiltration but in contrast did not affect dendritic cell activation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BAFF-R deficiency in mice selectively alters mature B2 cell-dependent cellular and humoral immune responses and limits the development of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Sage
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsiantoulas
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masters
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loinard
authors.forename: Christoph J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mallat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor / Q000502:physiology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor; C486662:Tnfrsf13c protein, mouse