Current understanding of dendritic cells in atherosclerosis

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.