title: Dendritic cells in atherosclerosis.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with activation of both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent activators of adaptive immunity and have been identified in the normal arterial wall and within atherosclerotic lesions. Recent evidence points to a functional role for DCs in all stages of atherosclerosis because of their myriad functions including lipid uptake, antigen presentation, efferocytosis, and inflammation resolution. Moreover, DC-based vaccination strategies are currently being developed for the treatment of atherosclerosis. This review will focus on the current evidence as well as the proposed roles for DCs in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and discuss future therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street PH9-406, New York, NY, 10032, USA, ms4144@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Manikandan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Ira
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tabas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans