title: IL-17 and Th17 cells in atherosclerosis: subtle and contextual roles.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory arterial disease driven by both innate and adaptive immune responses to modified lipoproteins and components of the injured vascular wall. Specific T lymphocyte responses driven by T helper-1 or T regulatory cells play distinct and opposing roles in atherosclerosis. More recently, T helper-17 cells, which produce the prototype cytokine interleukin-17, have been characterized and shown to be critical in mucosal host defense against microbial and fungal pathogens. Sustained production of interleukin-17 in an inflammatory context has been linked to the pathology of several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. However, regulatory and protective roles have also been reported in selective disease settings. Studies in atherosclerosis led to conflicting results on the roles of interleukin-17 and T helper-17 cells in disease development and plaque stability. The present review provides a summary of the available evidence and putative mechanisms linking this pathway to atherosclerosis, as well as a perspective on the risks and benefits of interleukin-17-targeted cytokine therapy in patients at high cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: From the Cardiology Department, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, and Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France (S.T., A.T., Z.M.); and Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK (Z.M.).
authors.forename: Soraya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taleb
authors.affiliation: From the Cardiology Department, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, and Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France (S.T., A.T., Z.M.); and Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK (Z.M.).
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tedgui
authors.affiliation: From the Cardiology Department, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, and Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France (S.T., A.T., Z.M.); and Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK (Z.M.). zm255@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mallat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D020381:Interleukin-17
keywords: atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; cytokines; immunity; nterleukins