[Atherogenesis and immune inflammation]

A universal approach to atherosclerosis pathogenesis is discussed according to which humoral factors, first of all modified lipoproteins and cells of the vascular wall, are considered as an entity. Although the arterial wall is estimated as a target organ realizing leading pathogenetic factors, the process in the arterial wall is a trigger of cell reactions resulting in the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque. Immune inflammation developing in the vascular wall as a response to deposition or formation of the autoimmune complex that includes a modified lipoprotein as an antigen, is regarded as an integral part of atherogenesis. Cytokines produced by the activated macrophages and lymphocytes purposefully affect parietal cells promoting the formation of foam cells and phenotypic modification of GMK with their production of the components of the connective tissue matrix.