title: Regulatory T cells and Atherosclerosis.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease. The involvement of both innate and adaptive immune responses in the pathogenesis of the disease has been well recognized. Tregs are an essential part of the immune system and have indispensable functions in maintaining immune system homeostasis, mediating peripheral tolerance, preventing autoimmune diseases, and suppressing inflammatory and proatherogenic immune response. Tregs carry out their immunosuppressive functions via several mechansims. One of the well-documented suppressive mechanisms of Tregs is the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines including IL-10, TGF-β, and IL-35. Studies have found that IL-10 and TGF-β have atheroprotective properties. In addition, Tregs can suppress the activity of proatherogenic effector T cells, suggesting an atheroprotective role. In fact, fewer Tregs are found in atherogenicApoE-/- mice comparing to wild-type mice, suggesting an uncontrolled balance between weakened Tregs and effector T cells in atherogenesis. Some clinical studies of autoimmune diseases also suggest that decreased Tregs numbers are associated with increased disease activity. The importance of Tregs in many autoimmune diseases and experimental atherosclerosis has been established inin vivoandin vitrostudies. However, the roles of Tregs in atherosclerosis in the clinical setting remains to be further characterized.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Pharmacology and Thrombosis Research Center, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140.
authors.forename: Jahaira Lopez
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pastrana
authors.forename: Xiaojin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virtue
authors.forename: Jietang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cueto
authors.forename: In Ae
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Yang
keywords: atherosclerosis; immune suppression; regulatory T cells; vascular inflammation