This study focused on the unique properties of both the Ldlr knockout defect (closely mimicking the human situation) and the BALB/c (C) inbred mouse strain (Th-2 slanted immune response). We generated two immunodeficient strains with severe combined B- and T-cell immunodeficiency with or without a complete lack of natural killer cells to revisit the role of adaptive immune responses on atherogenesis. C-Ldlr-/- Rag1-/- mice, which show severe combined B- and T-cell immunodeficiency and C-Ldlr-/- Rag1-/- Il2rg-/- mice, which combine the T- and B-cell defect with a complete lack of natural killer cells and inactivation of multiple cytokine signalling pathways were fed an atherogenic Western type diet (WTD). Both B6-Ldlr-/- and C-Ldlr-/- immunocompetent mice were used as controls. Body weights and serum cholesterol levels of both immunodeficient strains were significantly increased compared to C-Ldlr-/- controls, except for cholesterol levels of C-Ldlr-/- Rag1-/- double mutants after 12 weeks on the WTD. Quantification of the aortic sinus plaque area revealed that both strains of immunodeficient mice developed significantly more atherosclerosis compared to C-Ldlr-/- controls after 24 weeks on the WTD. Increased atherosclerotic lesion development in C-Ldlr-/- Rag1-/- Il2rg-/- triple mutants was associated with significantly increased numbers of macrophages and significantly decreased numbers of smooth muscle cells compared to both C-Ldlr-/- wild type and C-Ldlr-/- Rag1-/- double mutants pointing to a plaque destabilizing effect of NK cell loss. Collectively, the present study reveals a previously unappreciated complexity with regard to the impact of lymphocytes on lipoprotein metabolism and the role of lymphocyte subsets in plaque composition.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
5
31%
Immunology and Microbiology
3
19%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences
2
13%
Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine
1
6%
Nursing and Health Professions
1
6%
Other
0
0%
Unknown
4
25%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 11 August 2017.
All research outputs
#12,768,870
of 22,884,315 outputs
Outputs from PLOS ONE
#99,253
of 195,166 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#168,284
of 338,621 outputs
Outputs of similar age from PLOS ONE
#1,887
of 4,317 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,884,315 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 43rd percentile – i.e., 43% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 195,166 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 15.1. This one is in the 48th percentile – i.e., 48% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 338,621 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 49th percentile – i.e., 49% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 4,317 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 55% of its contemporaries.
