Background—CD4 T lymphocytes accumulate in unstable plaque. The direct and indirect
involvement of these T cells in tissue injury and plaque instability is not understood. Methods …

Background—Recent studies indicate that T-cell activation may play an important role in the
pathophysiology of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, although those studies …

Background—Unstable angina (UA) is associated with systemic inflammation and with
expansion of interferon-γ–producing T lymphocytes. The cause of T-cell activation and the …

Objectives: We hypothesized that the expansion of unusual T lymphocytes, CD4+
CD28nullT cells, might represent a key pathogenetic mechanism of recurrent instability …

Loss of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) has been proposed to destabilize the
atherosclerotic plaque and contribute to plaque rupture, superimposed thrombosis, and …

AIMS: In advanced human atherosclerotic plaques infiltrating T cells congregate at sites of
plaque rupture. However, little is known about the systemic activation of circulating T cells in …

Atherosclerotic lesions are populated by cells of the innate and adaptive immune system,
including CD8+ T cells. The CD8+ T cell infiltrate has recently been characterized in mouse …

CD4 T cells, through the release of cytokines as well as direct effector functions, have been
implicated in promoting inflammation of the atherosclerotic plaque. Plaque-infiltrating CD4 T …

Background—Heart attacks and strokes, leading causes of deaths globally, arise from
thrombotic occlusion of ruptured vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques characterized by …

Background—CD4+ CD28null T cells are present in increased numbers in the peripheral
blood of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) compared with patients with chronic …