The multifaceted contributions of leukocyte subsets to atherosclerosis: lessons from mouse models

C Weber, A Zernecke, P Libby - Nature reviews immunology, 2008 - nature.com
C Weber, A Zernecke, P Libby
Nature reviews immunology, 2008nature.com
Chronic inflammation drives the development of atherosclerosis, and details regarding the
involvement of different leukocyte subpopulations in the pathology of this disease have
recently emerged. This Review highlights the surprising contribution of granulocyte subsets
and mast cells to early atherogenesis and subsequent plaque instability, and describes the
complex, double-edged role of monocyte, macrophage and dendritic-cell subsets through
crosstalk with T cells and vascular progenitor cells. Improved understanding of the selective …
Abstract
Chronic inflammation drives the development of atherosclerosis, and details regarding the involvement of different leukocyte subpopulations in the pathology of this disease have recently emerged. This Review highlights the surprising contribution of granulocyte subsets and mast cells to early atherogenesis and subsequent plaque instability, and describes the complex, double-edged role of monocyte, macrophage and dendritic-cell subsets through crosstalk with T cells and vascular progenitor cells. Improved understanding of the selective contributions of specific cell types to atherogenesis will pave the way for new targeted approaches to therapy.
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