Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by lipid deposition and macrophages/foam cell accumulation beneath the arterial intima. Immune competent cells are abundant in atherosclerotic lesions, where they produce mainly proinflammatory cytokines. Macrophages play a central role in each stage of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. At the beginning, the so-called foam cells contribute to the formation of early lesions; in mature plaques, macrophages constitute 50% of the cells in the lesion; finally, they are involved in the mechanisms leading to plaque rupture.~The primary objective of this study is to assess whether the inflammatory receptors play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
The primary objective of this study is to assess whether inflammatory receptors play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.