Decreased Regulatory T Cells in Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Lesions: Imbalance between Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cells in Atherosclerosis

Figure 5

Emergence of activated cells in atherosclerotic lesions. (a) Immunohistochemical staining of activated CD25+ T cells of a control vessel without atherosclerosis and of the plaque shoulder regions of a stable and an unstable atherosclerotic lesion (200x). The pie diagrams demonstrate the percentage of immunostained cells present in each plaque region (LC—lipid core, PS—plaque shoulders, FC—fibrous cap, M—media, and CW—contralateral wall). (b) Mean CD25+ activated T cell, mean CD69+ activated T cell, and mean HLA-DR+ DC number of control vessels (), stable (), and unstable () plaques. Results are expressed as cells per 0.1 mm². Values are presented as median (25–75% CI), , .

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