Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the vasculature in which both a disturbed lipid metabolism and inflammatory immune responses against several self-antigens are involved. In this... Show moreAtherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the vasculature in which both a disturbed lipid metabolism and inflammatory immune responses against several self-antigens are involved. In this thesis we have explored the effectiveness of DC-immunotherapy in atherosclerosis. We have used different strategies to target the immune component in different stages of atherosclerosis. First we used DCs as a vaccination strategy to induce a protective antibody response trough the injection of oxLDL-pulsed DCs or to target NKT cells by the injection of OCH-pulsed DCs. Next we assessed the potential of DC-immunotherapy in a model of established atherosclerosis. We also evaluated the effects of a disturbed TGF-_ signaling in DCs and the subsequent effects on atherosclerosis by using ApoE-/- which have a dysfunctional TGF-__ Receptor II under the CD11c promoter. Next, we were interested in the effect of foam-cell formation on the antigen-presenting capacity of DCs and macrophages. Therefore we studied the effect of oxLDL-loading on antigen uptake and antigen presentation by DCs and macrophages. Finally, by depleting or inducing Tregs we investigated the potential role of regulatory T cells in a mouse model for aneurysm formation. Show less
