Atherosclerosis and the role of immune cells

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease arising from lipids, specifically low-density lipoproteins, and leukocytes. Following the activation of endothelium with the expression of adhesion molecules and monocytes, inflammatory cytokines from macrophages, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells, high levels of interferon (IFN)-alpha and beta are generated upon the activation of toll-like receptor-9, and T-cells, especially the ones with Th1 profile, produce pro-inflammatory mediators such as IFN-gamma and upregulate macrophages to adhere to the endothelium and migrate into the intima. This review presents an exhaustive account for the role of immune cells in the atherosclerosis.