[Ability of human monocytes to activate in atherosclerosis]

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Cardiovascular Science
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Monocytes play a key role in immune responses and are implicated in atherosclerosis.
• Intima-media thickness (IMT) and atherosclerotic plaques indicate cardiovascular risk.
• Macrophage activation markers include TNF-α and CCL18.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate individual differences in monocyte activation capacity.
• To explore the relationship between intracellular cholesterol and monocyte activation.
• To determine if atherogenic lipoproteins influence monocyte activation.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of monocytes from patients with varying carotid IMT and atherosclerotic plaque status.
• Measurement of TNF-α and CCL18 cytokine/chemokine concentrations in culture medium.
• In vitro culture of monocytes with modified low-density lipoprotein to induce cholesterol accumulation.

Main Results:

• Significant individual variations in TNF-α and CCL18 levels were observed across all patient groups.
• An inverse correlation was found between intracellular cholesterol levels and monocyte activation.
• Induced intracellular cholesterol accumulation did not affect cytokine secretion or gene expression.

Conclusions:

• Individual differences in monocyte activation capacity are not solely determined by intracellular cholesterol accumulation from atherogenic lipoproteins.
• The findings suggest that inherent individual characteristics of the immune response are crucial in modulating monocyte activation.
• Understanding these individual variations may offer new insights into personalized approaches for managing atherosclerosis.