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Immune Mechanisms in Atherosclerosis and Potential for Immunomodulatory Therapies

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Immunopharmacology and Inflammation

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Abstract

A considerable body of pre-clinical and clinical research data support a pivotal role played by immune-inflammatory responses in atherosclerosis formation and development. Recent clinical trial results confirm the feasibility of targeting immune pathways for the therapeutic control of the pathology. In this chapter, we discuss the key immune-inflammatory mechanisms involved in atherosclerosis development and progression and plaque destabilization. We discuss the anti-inflammatory pleiotropic effects of lipid-lowering drugs and potential therapeutic strategies for the direct control of vascular inflammation. Finally, we discuss vaccination approaches in atherosclerosis and critical questions that should be addressed in future investigations.

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Acknowledgements

Our work was funded by the British Heart Foundation grants PG/12/81/29897 and RE/13/5/30177; the European Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships 661,369; the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant EP/L014165/1; and the Tenovus Scotland PROJECT S15/24.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Gianluca Grassia, Neil MacRitchie & Pasquale Maffia

  2. Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Pasquale Maffia

  3. Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Pasquale Maffia

Authors
  1. Gianluca Grassia
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  2. Neil MacRitchie
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  3. Pasquale Maffia
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Gianluca Grassia or Pasquale Maffia .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Section of Pharmacology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

    Carlo Riccardi

  2. Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Unit, Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Francesca Levi-Schaffer

  3. Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Ekaterini Tiligada

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Grassia, G., MacRitchie, N., Maffia, P. (2018). Immune Mechanisms in Atherosclerosis and Potential for Immunomodulatory Therapies. In: Riccardi, C., Levi-Schaffer, F., Tiligada, E. (eds) Immunopharmacology and Inflammation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77658-3_9

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