Pathogenic Autoimmunity in Atherosclerosis Evolves From Initially Protective Apolipoprotein B ₁₀₀ –Reactive CD4 ⁺ T-Regulatory Cells

Abstract

Our results demonstrate an unexpected mixed phenotype of apoB-reactive autoimmune T cells in atherosclerosis and suggest an initially protective autoimmune response against apoB with a progressive derangement in clinical disease. These findings identify apoB autoreactive T_regs as a novel cellular target in atherosclerosis.