Abstract
Objective - Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease characterized by innate and adaptive immune responses. We investigated the role of B cells and antibodies in the development of atherosclerosis in low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-deficient (LDLR-/-) mice. Methods and Results - Using wild-type and B cell-deficient mice as bone marrow donors, we were able to generate LDLR-/- mice that possessed <1.0% of their normal B cell population. B cell-deficient LDLR-/- mice on a Western diet showed marked decreases in total serum antibody and anti-oxidized LDL antibody. B cell deficiency was associated with a 30% to 40% increase in the lesion area in the proximal and distal aortas. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunospot analyses showed a decrease in proatherogenic (interferon-γ) and antiatherogenic (interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β) cytokine mRNA and a decrease in interleukin-4- and interferon-γ-producing cells. Additionally, we observed a decrease in splenocyte proliferation to oxidized LDL in the B cell-deficient LDLR-/- mice, suggesting that B lymphocytes may play a role in the presentation of lipid antigen. Conclusions - Collectively, these data demonstrate that B cells and/or antibodies are protective against atherosclerosis and that this protection may be conferred by B cell-mediated immune regulation.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1892-1898 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 1 2002 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Atherosclerosis
- B cells
- B-lymphocyte deficiency
- LDL receptors
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine