This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 26/5/987    most recent 01.ATV.0000214999.12921.4fv1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shimizu, K. Articles by Libby, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shimizu, K. Articles by Libby, P.

(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2006;26:987.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Brief Reviews

Inflammation and Cellular Immune Responses in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Koichi Shimizu; Richard N. Mitchell; Peter Libby

From The Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine (K.S., P.L.), and Department of Pathology (R.N.M.), Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

Correspondence to Koichi Shimizu, MD, PhD, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, NRB7, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail ksmz{at}rics.bwh.harvard.edu

Series Editor: Robert W. Thompson
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Clinical Implications
ATVB In Focus

Previous Brief Reviews in this Series:

•Powell JT, Brady AR. Detection, management, and prospects for the medical treatment of small abdominal aortic aneurysms. 2004;24:241–245.
•Daugherty A, Cassis LA. Mouse models of abdominal aortic aneurysms. 2004;24:429–434.
•Pasterkamp G, Galis ZS, de Kleijn DPV. Expansive arterial remodeling: location, location, location. 2004;24:650–657.

Expansion and rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) result in high morbidity and mortality rates. Like stenotic atherosclerotic lesions, AAA accumulate inflammatory cells, but usually exhibit much more extensive medial damage. Leukocyte recruitment and expression of pro-inflammatory Th1 cytokines typically characterize early atherogenesis of any kind, and modulation of inflammatory mediators mutes atheroma formation in mice.¹ However, the mechanistic differences between stenotic and aneurysmal manifestations of atherosclerosis remain unexplained. We recently showed that aortic allografts deficient in interferon- (IFN-) signaling developed AAA correlating with skewed Th2 cytokine environments, suggesting important regulatory roles for Th1/Th2 cytokine balance in modulating matrix remodeling and important implications for the pathophysiology of aortic aneurysm and atherosclerosis. Further probing of their distinct aspects of immune and inflammatory responses in vascular diseases should continue to shed new light on the pathophysiologic mechanisms that give rise to aneurysmal versus occlusive manifestations and atherosclerosis.

Th1/Th2 cytokine balance plays important regulatory roles in modulating matrix remodeling in vascular diseases. These distinct aspects of immune and inflammatory responses in vascular diseases should continue to shed new light on the pathophysiologic mechanisms that give rise to aneurysmal versus occlusive manifestations and atherosclerosis.

Key Words: aortic aneurysm • atherosclerosis • cytokine • pathogenesis • T-lymphocytes • transplantation

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. N.T.P. Bakker, H. L. Matlung, P. Bonta, C. J. de Vries, N. van Rooijen, and E. VanBavel Blood flow-dependent arterial remodelling is facilitated by inflammation but directed by vascular tone Cardiovasc Res, May 1, 2008; 78(2): 341 - 348. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Golledge, M. Karan, C. S. Moran, J. Muller, P. Clancy, A. E. Dear, and P. E. Norman Reduced expansion rate of abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients with diabetes may be related to aberrant monocyte-matrix interactions Eur. Heart J., March 1, 2008; 29(5): 665 - 672. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Greenhalgh and J. T. Powell Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm N. Engl. J. Med., January 31, 2008; 358(5): 494 - 501. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. F. Padera Jr. and F. J. Schoen Pathology of Cardiac Surgery Card. Surg. Adult, January 1, 2008; 3(2008): 111 - 178. [Full Text]

				J. Golledge, P. Clancy, K. Jamrozik, and P. E. Norman Obesity, Adipokines, and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Health in Men Study Circulation, November 13, 2007; 116(20): 2275 - 2279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Mory, J. Hansmann, J.-R. Allenberg, and D. Boeckler Images in vascular medicine: Rapid expansion of an inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm Vascular Medicine, November 1, 2007; 12(4): 381 - 382. [PDF]

				S. P. M. Lutgens, K. B. J. M. Cleutjens, M. J. A. P. Daemen, and S. Heeneman Cathepsin cysteine proteases in cardiovascular disease FASEB J, October 1, 2007; 21(12): 3029 - 3041. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Heeneman, J. C. Sluimer, and M. J.A.P. Daemen Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Vascular Remodeling Circ. Res., August 31, 2007; 101(5): 441 - 454. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. N. Mitchell and P. Libby Vascular Remodeling in Transplant Vasculopathy Circ. Res., April 13, 2007; 100(7): 967 - 978. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Shaheen and N. L. Weintraub Osteopontin: A Bona Fide Mediator of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm? Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., March 1, 2007; 27(3): 439 - 441. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Golledge, J. Muller, N. Shephard, P. Clancy, L. Smallwood, C. Moran, A. E. Dear, L. J. Palmer, and P. E. Norman Association Between Osteopontin and Human Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., March 1, 2007; 27(3): 655 - 660. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. McCormick, D. Gavrila, and N. L. Weintraub Role of Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., March 1, 2007; 27(3): 461 - 469. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Golledge, J. Muller, A. Daugherty, and P. Norman Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Pathogenesis and Implications for Management Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., December 1, 2006; 26(12): 2605 - 2613. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. D PLATSOUCAS, S. LU, I. NWANESHIUDU, C. SOLOMIDES, A. AGELAN, N. NTAOULA, E. PUREV, L. P. LI, P. KRATSIOS, E. MYLONAS, et al. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Is a Specific Antigen-Driven T Cell Disease Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., November 1, 2006; 1085(1): 224 - 235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D.-C. GUO, C. L PAPKE, R. HE, and D. M MILEWICZ Pathogenesis of Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., November 1, 2006; 1085(1): 339 - 352. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]