Deficiency of Antigen-Presenting Cell Invariant Chain Reduces Atherosclerosis in Mice

Abstract

Invariant chain deficiency in Ldlr(-/-) mice reduced atherosclerosis. This finding was associated with an impaired adaptive immune response to disease-specific antigens. Concomitantly, an unexpected increase in the number of innate-like peripheral B-1 cell populations occurred, resulting in increased IgM/IgG3 titers to the oxidation-specific epitopes.