Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, University of California at San Diego Medical Center, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Int Immunol. 2013 Nov;25(11):615-22. doi: 10.1093/intimm/dxt043.
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the artery wall. Atherosclerotic lesions contain monocytes, macrophages, smooth muscle cells and T lymphocytes. Here, we review the role of T-lymphocyte subsets in atherosclerosis. Among CD4⁺T cells, T(h)1 cells are pro-atherogenic, T(reg) cells are athero-protective and the role of T(h)2 and T(h)17 cells remains unclear. The role of follicular helper T cells in atherosclerosis remains unknown, as is the role of CD8⁺T cells. NKT cells bind glycolipid antigens and exert a pro-atherogenic role. The antigen specificity of T-cell responses in atherosclerosis is poorly understood. In order to enable antigen-specific prevention or therapy, a better understanding of these mechanisms is needed.
动脉粥样硬化是动脉壁的一种慢性炎症性疾病。动脉粥样硬化病变中含有单核细胞、巨噬细胞、平滑肌细胞和 T 淋巴细胞。在这里，我们回顾了 T 淋巴细胞亚群在动脉粥样硬化中的作用。在 CD4⁺T 细胞中，T(h)1 细胞是促动脉粥样硬化的，T(reg)细胞是抗动脉粥样硬化的，而 T(h)2 和 T(h)17 细胞的作用尚不清楚。滤泡辅助 T 细胞在动脉粥样硬化中的作用尚不清楚，CD8⁺T 细胞也是如此。NKT 细胞结合糖脂抗原并发挥促动脉粥样硬化作用。动脉粥样硬化中 T 细胞反应的抗原特异性了解甚少。为了能够进行抗原特异性预防或治疗，需要更好地了解这些机制。
