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Review
Nature Medicine 8, 1218 - 1226 (2002)
doi:10.1038/nm1102-1218
Innate and acquired immunity in atherogenesis
Christoph J. Binder1, Mi-Kyung Chang1, Peter X. Shaw1, Yury I. Miller1, Karsten Hartvigsen1, Asheesh Dewan1 & Joseph L. Witztum1
Abstract
Traditional risk factors like hypercholesterolemia are important for atherogenesis, but it is now apparent that the immune system also plays an important role. Uncovering the mechanisms by which specific components of the immune system impact atherogenesis will not only provide new insights into the pathogenesis of lesion formation, but could also lead to novel therapeutic approaches that involve immune modulation.
Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that begins in fetal life, slowly progresses during childhood and adolescence, and then accelerates in fits and spurts in adult life to result in plaque erosion or rupture, effecting morbid or fatal clinical events. Autopsy studies have confirmed the presence of advanced and obstructive lesions in young and clinically robust individuals, and intracoronary ultrasound studies have demonstrated the remarkable prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis in 37% of 'healthy' heart donors 20–29 years of age, 60% of those 30–39 years of age and 85% of those over 50 years of age1.
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