Gammadelta (γδ) T lymphocytes do not impact the development of early atherosclerosis

Abstract

ObjectiveGammadelta (γδ) T cells are a subset of pro-inflammatory innate-like T lymphocytes that serve as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. γδ T cells are highly enriched in cholesterol compared to αβ T cells. In this study, we aimed to identify the role of γδ T cells in atherosclerosis, a cholesterol and inflammation-driven disease. MethodsWe found that the percentages of γδ T cells are increased in ApoE−/− mice fed a Western diet. We generated TCRδ−/−ApoE−/− mice and fed them either rodent chow or a Western diet for ten weeks for the assessment of atherosclerosis. ResultsThe atherosclerotic lesion size in diet-fed TCRδ−/−ApoE−/− mice was similar to that of diet-fed ApoE−/− mice. There were no differences in cytokine production or numbers of αβ T cells in aorta of TCRδ−/−ApoE−/− mice. Plasma lipoprotein profiles were unchanged by the absence of γδ T cells. ConclusionOur data suggest that γδ T cells do not contribute to early atherosclerotic plaque development.