Publications by authors named "Angelika Chroni"
Article Synopsis
- The alternative pathway of complement is crucial for innate immunity, but needs to be down-regulated by plasma factor H (FH) to protect host cells from damage.
- Mutations in specific FH domains can lead to diseases and allow pathogens to evade immune responses.
- The study reveals that a recombinant form of FH (FH5-7) enhances the immune response, increasing phagocytosis of not only FH-binding microbes but also those that don’t bind FH, by disrupting complement regulation on HDL particles.
Both alterations of lipid/lipoprotein metabolism and inflammatory events contribute to the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque, characterized by the accumulation of abnormal amounts of cholesterol and macrophages in the artery wall. Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) may counteract the pathogenic events leading to the formation and development of atheroma, by promoting the high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-mediated removal of cholesterol from the artery wall. Recent in vivo studies established the inverse relationship between RCT efficiency and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (CVD), thus suggesting that the promotion of this process may represent a novel strategy to reduce atherosclerotic plaque burden and subsequent cardiovascular events.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In addition to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, HDL quality appears also very important for atheroprotection. Obese patients with metabolic syndrome have significantly reduced HDL-C levels and are usually at increased risk for coronary heart disease. Despite that weight loss benefits these patients, its effects on HDL quality and functionality is currently poorly studied.
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