Atherosclerosis is characterized by a chronic inflammatory immune response that increases the formation atherosclerotic plaques and lesions that could trigger atherothrombosis.
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a type of immune cell that have been shown to play a complex role in atherosclerosis. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers led by Ira Tabas and Manikandan Subramanian at Columbia University used atherosclerosis-prone mice to elucidate the role of DCs in atherosclerosis.
Tabas, Subramanian, and colleagues found that a protein known as MYD88 is required for the activation of DCs, which in turn activate another group of immune cells that protect against inflammation.
These results demonstrate that MYD88-mediated DC activation is protective and could be a useful therapeutic target for the treatment of atherosclerosis.
TITLE: Treg-mediated suppression of atherosclerosis requires MYD88 signaling in dendritic cells
Journal of Clinical Investigation