Formation of atherosclerotic lesions is independent of eosinophils in male mice.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidized LDL-mediated activation of the innate immune system have been recognized as early key events during the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Recent evidence identified eosinophils as a major source of enzymatic lipid oxidation and suggested a potential role of type 2 immunity in atherogenesis. However, the involvement of individual type 2 immune cell subsets involved in this process has been incompletely defined. We therefore sought to determine the role of eosinophils during LDL oxidation and the pathogenesis of this disease.

METHODS

Using eosinophil-deficient dblGATA1 mice, we studied the role of eosinophils in two established mouse models of atherosclerosis.

RESULTS

These experiments revealed that the presence of eosinophils did neither affect biomarkers of LDL oxidation nor atherosclerotic lesion development.

CONCLUSIONS

The obtained results show that LDL oxidation and development of atherosclerosis are largely independent of eosinophils or eosinophil-mediated LDL oxidation.