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Lupus, Vol. 14, No. 9, 665-669 (2005)
DOI: 10.1191/0961203305lu2196oa
© 2005 SAGE Publications

Predictive and protective autoimmunity in cardiovascular diseases: is vaccination therapy a reality?

E Toubi

Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel, affiliated to the Technion Faculty of Medicine Haifa, Israel

Y Shoenfeld

Department of Internal Medicine B and Center of Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel, affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel, Incumbent of the Laura Schwarz-Kipp Chair for Research in Autoimmune Diseases, Tel-Aviv University, Israel, shoenfel{at}post.tau.ac.il

The role of the immune system in modulating atherosclerosis has recently been well documented. Studies have revealed that cellular and humoral immunity plays crucial roles in atherogenic plaque formation. This includes macrophages, CD4+ T cells and dendritic cells as well as autoantigens such as oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), heat shock proteins and b2-glycoprotein I. Given these recent advances, various modifications of the immune system in experimental models have been proposed as therapeutic strategies, with the potential of inhibiting atherosclerosis progression. These modifications are switching the immune system (CD4+ T cells) from Th1 towards a Th2 anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and the induction of protective antibodies both of which may be induced by specific vaccination. Recent identification of specific immunoreactive antigenic epitopes on modified LDL, their successful implementation for immunization and the induction of atheroprotection, supports the idea that active vaccination may emerge as a novel immuno-modulating atheroprotective strategy.

Key Words: anti-oxLDL • atherosclerosis • protective autoimmunity • vaccination


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