Atherosclerosis severity in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: The role of T and B lymphocytes

Possible roles of IgM anti-ApoB-D and CD4+ T cells in the burden of atherosclerosis in subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia T cells originate from bone marrow progenitor cells, migrate to the thymus, where they undergo maturation and selection. After gene chain rearrangements these cells express co-receptors CD4 and CD8. These double-positive thymocytes undergo a selection process that terminates in downregulation of one of the co-receptors and mature into single CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, which are finally released into the bloodstream. A distinct subset of CD4+ T cells, natural regulatory T cells (nTregs), also originates from the thymus, comprises 5–10% of all peripheral CD4+ T cells and are already differentiated, acting as key protectors from autoimmunity. These activated CD4+ T cells can react to epitopes derived from unmodified apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and may either promote or limit the immune response [42].Among FH patients only CD4+ T cells were associated with coronary calcification. CD, cluster differentiation, FH, familial hypercholesterolemia; nTReg, natural regulatory T cells.Image 1