Mif-deficiency favors an atheroprotective autoantibody phenotype in atherosclerosis.

ABSTRACT: The inflammatory cytokine macrophage migration-inhibitory factor (MIF) promotes atherosclerosis via lesional monocyte and T-cell recruitment. B cells have emerged as important components in atherogenesis, but the interaction between MIF and B cells in atherogenesis is unknown. Here, we investigated the atherosclerotic phenotype of Mif-gene deletion in Apoe^-/- mice. Apoe^-/- Mif^-/- mice fed a Western diet exhibited strongly reduced atherosclerotic lesions in brachiocephalic artery (BC) and abdominal aorta compared with controls. This phenotype was accompanied by reduced circulating B cells. Flow cytometry revealed a B-cell developmental defect with increased premature and immature B-cell counts in bone marrow (BM) of Apoe^-/- Mif^-/- mice

SUBMITTER: Schmitz C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6207164 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature