Annelie Shami, Dorothee Atzler, Laura A Bosmans, Holger Winkels, Svenja Meiler, Michael Lacy, Claudia van Tiel, Remco Ta Megens, Katrin Nitz, Jeroen Baardman, Pascal Kusters, Tom Seijkens, Christina Buerger, Aleksandar Janjic, Carlo Riccardi, Andreas Edsfeldt, Claudia Monaco, Mat Daemen, Menno P J de Winther, Jan Nilsson, Christian Weber, Norbert Gerdes, Isabel Gonçalves, Esther Lutgens
AIMS: GITR-a co-stimulatory immune checkpoint protein-is known for both its activating and regulating effects on T-cells. As atherosclerosis bears features of chronic inflammation and autoimmunity, we investigated the relevance of GITR in cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS AND RESULTS: GITR expression was elevated in carotid endarterectomy specimens obtained from patients with cerebrovascular events (n = 100) compared to asymptomatic patients (n = 93) and correlated with parameters of plaque vulnerability, including plaque macrophage, lipid and glycophorin A content, and levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, and C-C-chemokine ligand 2...
August 14, 2020: European Heart Journal