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T Helper Cell Polarization in Healthy People: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease

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Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by T lymphocyte infiltration into the atherosclerotic plaque. Assessments of T cell subtypes have demonstrated a predominance of CD4+ T helper (Th) cells, implicated Th1 and Th17 immunity in both human and mouse atherogenesis, and provided some evidence suggesting protective roles of Th2 and T regulatory cells. Observations that certain inbred mouse strains have an inherent T helper bias suggest a genetic predisposition toward developing a particular T helper phenotype. This review summarizes our current understanding of mechanisms of antigen processing for major histocompatibility complex molecules, describes the different T helper cell subsets and their roles in atherosclerosis, and discusses mechanisms of genetic predisposition toward Th1/Th2 bias in mice. We also present data from our laboratory demonstrating inherent Th1/Th2 phenotypes in apparently healthy human volunteers that are stable over time and discuss the potential implications for cardiovascular disease.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Egyptian Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for permission to re-publish the data in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 and in Tables 1, 2, and 3 which originally appeared in [114]. This work was supported in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) training grant 5T32HL007594-27 (NCO), HL108371 (SAH), and R01 HL-46696 and R01 HL58329 (RPT).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA

    Nels C. Olson, Margaret F. Doyle, Russell P. Tracy & Sally A. Huber

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA

    Russell P. Tracy

  3. Obesity Research Center, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Reem Sallam

  4. Clinical Chemistry Unit, Pathology Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Reem Sallam

  5. Laboratory for Clinical Biochemistry Research, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 208 South Park Drive, Colchester, VT, 05446, USA

    Nels C. Olson

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  1. Nels C. Olson
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Correspondence to Nels C. Olson.

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Associate Editor Jennifer L. Hall oversaw the review of this article

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Olson, N.C., Sallam, R., Doyle, M.F. et al. T Helper Cell Polarization in Healthy People: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease. J. of Cardiovasc. Trans. Res. 6, 772–786 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12265-013-9496-6

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