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Emerging biomarkers and intervention targets for immune-modulation of atherosclerosis - A review of the experimental evidence.

Björkbacka, Harry LU orcid ; Nordin Fredrikson, Gunilla LU and Nilsson, Jan LU (2013) In Atherosclerosis 227(1). p.9-17
Abstract
The role of inflammation in atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability is well recognized. However, it is only during recent years it has become evident that this inflammation is modulated by immune responses against plaque antigens such as oxidized LDL. Interestingly, both protective and pathogenic immune responses exist and experimental data from animal studies suggest that modulation of these immune responses represents a promising new target for treatment of cardiovascular disease. It has been proposed that during early stages of the disease, autoimmune responses against plaque antigens are controlled by regulatory T cells that inhibit the activity of auto-reactive Th1 effector T cells by release of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as... (More)
The role of inflammation in atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability is well recognized. However, it is only during recent years it has become evident that this inflammation is modulated by immune responses against plaque antigens such as oxidized LDL. Interestingly, both protective and pathogenic immune responses exist and experimental data from animal studies suggest that modulation of these immune responses represents a promising new target for treatment of cardiovascular disease. It has been proposed that during early stages of the disease, autoimmune responses against plaque antigens are controlled by regulatory T cells that inhibit the activity of auto-reactive Th1 effector T cells by release of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 and TGF-β. As the disease progresses this control is gradually lost and immune responses towards plaque antigens switch towards activation of Th1 effector T cells and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interferon-γ, TNF-α and IL-1β. Several novel immune-modulatory therapies that promote or mimic tolerogenic immune responses against plaque antigens have demonstrated athero-protective effects in experimental models and a first generation of such immune-modulatory therapies are now in early or about to enter into clinical testing. A challenge in the clinical development of these therapies is that our knowledge of the role of the immune system in atherosclerosis largely rests on data from animal models of the disease. It is therefore critical that more attention is given to the characterization and evaluation of immune biomarkers for cardiovascular risk. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Atherosclerosis
volume
227
issue
1
pages
9 - 17
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000314785400002
  • pmid:23177975
  • scopus:84873475820
ISSN
1879-1484
DOI
10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.10.074
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c8ff4f03-3e16-4c8a-90cb-d0d960df3324 (old id 3218534)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23177975?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:04:35
date last changed
2022-01-25 19:28:47
@article{c8ff4f03-3e16-4c8a-90cb-d0d960df3324,
  abstract     = {{The role of inflammation in atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability is well recognized. However, it is only during recent years it has become evident that this inflammation is modulated by immune responses against plaque antigens such as oxidized LDL. Interestingly, both protective and pathogenic immune responses exist and experimental data from animal studies suggest that modulation of these immune responses represents a promising new target for treatment of cardiovascular disease. It has been proposed that during early stages of the disease, autoimmune responses against plaque antigens are controlled by regulatory T cells that inhibit the activity of auto-reactive Th1 effector T cells by release of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 and TGF-β. As the disease progresses this control is gradually lost and immune responses towards plaque antigens switch towards activation of Th1 effector T cells and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interferon-γ, TNF-α and IL-1β. Several novel immune-modulatory therapies that promote or mimic tolerogenic immune responses against plaque antigens have demonstrated athero-protective effects in experimental models and a first generation of such immune-modulatory therapies are now in early or about to enter into clinical testing. A challenge in the clinical development of these therapies is that our knowledge of the role of the immune system in atherosclerosis largely rests on data from animal models of the disease. It is therefore critical that more attention is given to the characterization and evaluation of immune biomarkers for cardiovascular risk.}},
  author       = {{Björkbacka, Harry and Nordin Fredrikson, Gunilla and Nilsson, Jan}},
  issn         = {{1879-1484}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{9--17}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Atherosclerosis}},
  title        = {{Emerging biomarkers and intervention targets for immune-modulation of atherosclerosis - A review of the experimental evidence.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/1539337/3737274.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.10.074}},
  volume       = {{227}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}