CD8+ T-cells protect against experimental atherosclerosis through antigen specific interactions in the plaque

Antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in experimental atherosclerosis accumulate less in aortic lesions than antigen-restricted cells and associate with plaque stabilization and reduced lesion formation.

• Why it matters: It is unclear whether plaque CD8+ T-cell buildup reflects local antigen recognition and whether antigen-specific activity changes lesion outcomes.
• What they did: Rag-/-Ldlr-/- mice received wildtype or antigen-restricted CD8+ T cells with CD4+ T cells, and ApobOVA-TGxLdlr-/- mice enabled OT-I CD8+ T cells to target an ovalbumin-tagged ApoB100 variant; lesion and systemic phenotypes were measured.
• The result: Antigen-specific CD8+ T cells showed higher activation/exhaustion/cytokine secretion, and perturbing antigen-specific interactions decreased plaque stability index; OT-I transfer reduced plaque burden with reduced TUNEL but similar Caspase 3, alongside reduced CD47 on recipient mice and OVA-presenting foam cells in vitro.

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