Which immune cells cause blood vessel inflammation in atherosclerosis?

Defining the role(s) of selective subsets of antigen presenting cells in promoting or preventing atherosclerosis (renewal)

BHF Professor Ziad Mallat is studying how blood vessels become inflamed in atherosclerosis to see if there is a way of preventing inflammation. Atherosclerosis is caused by the build-up of fatty plaques in the walls of our arteries, and is a cause of heart attacks and strokes. The accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries leads to subtle chemical modifications, so our immune system recognises this fatty build up as a foreign material. As a result, white blood cells called T lymphocytes become activated, and the blood vessel becomes inflamed. But not all T lymphocytes promote atherosclerosis - some subsets of T lymphocytes protect against atherosclerosis. If scientists could work out a way to generate these protective T cell subsets rather than the harmful T cells, they could potentially manipulate the immune system to protect against atherosclerosis. In this project, Professor Mallat is using state-of-the-art genetic studies to identify the specific cells that instruct the T lymphocytes to react aggressively in atherosclerosis and make the disease worse. The research, in mice and using human tissue, will lead to a better understanding of how the immune system reacts against the deposited cholesterol in our arteries. It will reveal new ways to combat atherosclerosis development and progression by targeting immune cells.