IL-17 and Th17 cells in atherosclerosis: subtle and contextual roles

S Taleb, A Tedgui, Z Mallat - Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and …, 2015 - Am Heart Assoc
S Taleb, A Tedgui, Z Mallat
Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 2015Am Heart Assoc
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory arterial disease driven by both innate and adaptive
immune responses to modified lipoproteins and components of the injured vascular wall.
Specific T lymphocyte responses driven by T helper-1 or T regulatory cells play distinct and
opposing roles in atherosclerosis. More recently, T helper-17 cells, which produce the
prototype cytokine interleukin-17, have been characterized and shown to be critical in
mucosal host defense against microbial and fungal pathogens. Sustained production of …
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory arterial disease driven by both innate and adaptive immune responses to modified lipoproteins and components of the injured vascular wall. Specific T lymphocyte responses driven by T helper-1 or T regulatory cells play distinct and opposing roles in atherosclerosis. More recently, T helper-17 cells, which produce the prototype cytokine interleukin-17, have been characterized and shown to be critical in mucosal host defense against microbial and fungal pathogens. Sustained production of interleukin-17 in an inflammatory context has been linked to the pathology of several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. However, regulatory and protective roles have also been reported in selective disease settings. Studies in atherosclerosis led to conflicting results on the roles of interleukin-17 and T helper-17 cells in disease development and plaque stability. The present review provides a summary of the available evidence and putative mechanisms linking this pathway to atherosclerosis, as well as a perspective on the risks and benefits of interleukin-17–targeted cytokine therapy in patients at high cardiovascular risk.
Am Heart Assoc