Hanyang Med Rev.  2013 Feb;33(1):52-58. 10.7599/hmr.2013.33.1.52.

Current Understanding of Dendritic Cells in Atherosclerosis

• Choi JH

• KMID: 2168221
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7599/hmr.2013.33.1.52

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs), first identified in 1973, have been shown to be the principal cells involved in antigen presentation to T cells, and are more potent in the presentation of antigen than B cells or macrophages. Atherosclerosis is a representative chronic vascular inflammatory disease in which various immune cells have been implicated in the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. Thus, the quantification and elucidation of activity of immune populations in atherosclerotic vessels are very important in understanding the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Several current studies demonstrate that DCs which exist in atherosclerotic lesion appear to play several important roles in atherosclerosis. This review summarizes current understandings on the function of DCs in atherosclerosis, and also suggests future directions for research of DC function in inflammatory atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Keyword

Dendritic Cells; Blood Vessels; Inflammation; Atherosclerosis

MeSH Terms

Antigen Presentation
Atherosclerosis
B-Lymphocytes
Blood Vessels
Dendritic Cells
Inflammation
Macrophages
Plaque, Atherosclerotic
T-Lymphocytes
Vascular Diseases

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Distribution of dendritic cells in normal mouse aorta. Left panels show immunofluorescence staining of CD11c in normal aorta. The aorta was perfused with ice-cold 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS via the left ventricle. After removing perivascular tissues, the segments of aortic sinus, aortic arch and thoracic aorta were opened longitudinally and further fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde at 4℃ for 30 min. After permeabilization using 0.2% triton X-100, staining for CD11c was performed using the Tyramide amplification (TSA) kit (Invitrogen) under the manufacturer's protocol. Right figure shows the relative density of intimal CD11c+ DCs in normal aorta. Reds indicate areas with numerous DCs.

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