It has long been recognized that arterial inflammation plays a key role in the development of
atherosclerosis. More recent evidence has suggested that this inflammation is modulated by
autoimmune responses against modified self-antigens, such as oxidized low-density
lipoprotein, in the vascular wall. However, the role of the immune system in atherosclerosis
appears to be more complex than in classic autoimmune diseases; and a number of
protective immune responses have also been identified. One of the most important of these …