Abstract
Extensive research has been carried out to decipher the function of the adaptive immune response in atherosclerosis, with the expectation that it will pave the road for the design of immunomodulatory therapies that will prevent or reverse the progression of the disease. All this work has led to the concept that some T- and B-cell subsets are proatherogenic, whereas others are atheroprotective. In addition to the immune response occurring in the spleen and lymph nodes, it has been shown that lymphoid neo-genesis takes place in the adventitia of atherosclerotic vessels, leading to the formation of tertiary lymphoid organs where an adaptive immune response can be mounted. Whereas the mechanisms orchestrating the formation of these organs are becoming better understood, their impact on atherosclerosis progression remains unclear. Several potential therapeutic strategies against atherosclerosis, such as protective vaccination against atherosclerosis antigens or inhibiting the activation of proatherogenic B cells, have been proposed based on our improving knowledge of the role of the immune system in atherosclerosis. These strategies have shown success in preclinical studies, giving hope that they will lead to clinical applications.
Highlights
Atherosclerosis is a chronic and progressive disease that is characterized by the accumulation of lipids, cells and fibrous elements forming atherosclerotic plaques in arteries of medium and large caliber
Atherosclerosis starts with the accumulation of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in the intima of the artery, where they undergo oxidation leading to the formation of oxidized LDLs
The design of such therapeutic strategies has been slowed down by the fact that the immune response can be atheroprotective, depending on the players examined. We published in this journal more than a decade ago that IL-10, an antiinflammatory cytokine, played a protective role in atherosclerosis, as the absence of IL-10 led to an increased atherosclerotic lesion size, thrombosis and a plasma level of LDLs in mice that are prone to develop spontaneous atherosclerotic lesions due to a deficiency in the apolipoprotein E gene (ApoE–/– mice) [7]
Summary
Atherosclerosis is a chronic and progressive disease that is characterized by the accumulation of lipids, cells and fibrous elements forming atherosclerotic plaques in arteries of medium and large caliber. Some studies suggest that the adaptive immune response is proatherogenic [4,5,6], and, would be a logical therapeutic target in atherosclerosis.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
