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Autoimmunity, Infectious Immunity, and Atherosclerosis

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Journal of Clinical Immunology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Vascular inflammation is common in certain systemic autoimmune diseases and contributes to the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and oxLDL/β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) complex formation. These complexes have been implicated as proatherogenic autoantigens that participate in the development of atherosclerotic disease.

Discussion

We have demonstrated that the in vitro macrophage uptake of oxLDL/β2GPI complexes increases in the presence of IgG anti-β2GPI antibodies and that IgG immune complexes containing oxLDL/β2GPI upregulate the expression of both scavenger and Fcγ receptors to activate β2GPI-specific T cells. Some persistent infections may cause immune responses that promote atherogenesis. Cellular immunity (Th1) against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) derived heat shock protein 60 (Hp-HSP60) cross-reacts with endogenous HSP60 to cause cardiovascular disease likely by molecular mimicry.

Conclusion

Infectious cellular response may be proatherogenic, while the humoral response (antibody production) may be protective. We review the recent progress in our understanding of autoimmunity and infectious immunity that promote atherosclerosis.

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Acknowledgement

The study was supported in part by research grants-in-aid for scientific research from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Chemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan

    Eiji Matsuura, Kazuko Kobayashi, Yukana Matsunami, Lianhua Shen, Nanhu Quan & Marina Makarova

  2. Department of Bacteriology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan

    Lianhua Shen, Kiyoshi Ayada & Keiji Oguma

  3. Cardiovascular Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Chang Chun, China

    Nanhu Quan

  4. Department of Pathology, I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy, Moscow, Russia

    Marina Makarova & Sergey V. Suchkov

  5. Corgenix Inc., Broomfield, CO, USA

    Luis R. Lopez

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  1. Eiji Matsuura
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  2. Kazuko Kobayashi
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  3. Yukana Matsunami
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  4. Lianhua Shen
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  8. Kiyoshi Ayada
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  10. Luis R. Lopez
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Correspondence to Eiji Matsuura.

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Matsuura, E., Kobayashi, K., Matsunami, Y. et al. Autoimmunity, Infectious Immunity, and Atherosclerosis. J Clin Immunol 29, 714–721 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-009-9333-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-009-9333-5

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