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The role of T-helper cells in atherosclerosis
1Thrombosis Research Institute, Manresa Road, London, SW3 6LR UK. xlu@tri-london.ac.uk
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis is rapidly gaining recognition as an inflammatory disease showing contribution from innate and adaptive immunity pathways towards disease initiation and progression. Components of adaptive immunity especially T cells, are shown to be involved in atherogenesis and subsets of T cells are known to drive/ dampen inflammatory processes in atherosclerosis. However, the regulatory balance between the T cell subsets remains unclear. In this review, we summarize the role of T helper cells Th1, 2, 3 and 17, and regulatory cells Treg in atherosclerosis by studying the cytokines involved in Th cell functioning. We further examine the diverse roles of T helper cells for regulating the progression of atherosclerosis.
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