TY - JOUR
T1 - Constitutive GITR Activation Reduces Atherosclerosis by Promoting Regulatory CD4+ T-Cell Responses-Brief Report
AU - Meiler, Svenja
AU - Smeets, Esther
AU - Winkels, Holger
AU - Shami, Annelie
AU - Pascutti, Maria Fernanda
AU - Nolte, Martijn A.
AU - Beckers, Linda
AU - Weber, Christian
AU - Gerdes, Norbert
AU - Lutgens, Esther
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor family-related protein (GITR) is expressed on CD4(+) effector memory T cells and regulatory T cells; however, its role on these functionally opposing cell types in atherosclerosis is not fully understood. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice (Ldlr(-/-)) were lethally irradiated and reconstituted with either bone marrow from B-cell-restricted Gitrl transgenic mice or from wild-type controls and fed a high-cholesterol diet for 11 weeks. Chimeric Ldlr(-/-) Gitrl(tg) mice showed a profound increase in both CD4(+) effector memory T cells and regulatory T cells in secondary lymphoid organs. Additionally, the number of regulatory T cells was significantly enhanced in the thymus and aorta of these mice along with increased Gitrl and Il-2 transcript levels. Atherosclerotic lesions of Ldlr(-/-) Gitrl(tg) chimeras contained more total CD3(+) T cells as well as Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells overall, leading to significantly less severe atherosclerosis. These data indicate that continuous GITR stimulation through B cell Gitrl acts protective in a mouse model of atherosclerosis by regulating the balance between regulatory and effector memory CD4(+) T cells
AB - Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor family-related protein (GITR) is expressed on CD4(+) effector memory T cells and regulatory T cells; however, its role on these functionally opposing cell types in atherosclerosis is not fully understood. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice (Ldlr(-/-)) were lethally irradiated and reconstituted with either bone marrow from B-cell-restricted Gitrl transgenic mice or from wild-type controls and fed a high-cholesterol diet for 11 weeks. Chimeric Ldlr(-/-) Gitrl(tg) mice showed a profound increase in both CD4(+) effector memory T cells and regulatory T cells in secondary lymphoid organs. Additionally, the number of regulatory T cells was significantly enhanced in the thymus and aorta of these mice along with increased Gitrl and Il-2 transcript levels. Atherosclerotic lesions of Ldlr(-/-) Gitrl(tg) chimeras contained more total CD3(+) T cells as well as Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells overall, leading to significantly less severe atherosclerosis. These data indicate that continuous GITR stimulation through B cell Gitrl acts protective in a mouse model of atherosclerosis by regulating the balance between regulatory and effector memory CD4(+) T cells
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.116.307354
DO - https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.116.307354
M3 - Article
C2 - 27444204
SN - 1079-5642
VL - 36
SP - 1748
EP - 1752
JO - Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
JF - Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
IS - 9
ER -