Inflammatory cytokine TSLP stimulates platelet secretion and potentiates platelet aggregation via a TSLPR-dependent PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Aims: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) plays an important role in inflammatory diseases and is over-expressed in human atherosclerotic artery specimens. The present study investigated the role of TSLP in platelet activation and thrombosis models in vitro and in vivo, as well as the underlying mechanism and signaling pathway.

Methods And Results: Western blotting and flow cytometry demonstrated that the TSLP receptor was expressed on murine platelets.

TSLPR deficiency attenuates atherosclerotic lesion development associated with the inhibition of TH17 cells and the promotion of regulator T cells in ApoE-deficient mice.

Aims: We generated thymic stromal lymphopoietin R-chain deficient apolipoprotein E-double knockout (ApoE-TSLPR DKO) mice to directly explore the role of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in atherogenesis.

Methods And Results: Both thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and its receptor are expressed in atherosclerotic aortas of apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE KO) mice. Serum thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is markedly increased in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE KO) mice fed with a high fat diet (HFD).

Oxidized low density lipoprotein induced caspase-1 mediated pyroptotic cell death in macrophages: implication in lesion instability?

Background: Macrophage death in advanced lesion has been confirmed to play an important role in plaque instability. However, the mechanism underlying lesion macrophage death still remains largely unknown.

Methods And Results: Immunohistochemistry showed that caspase-1 activated in advanced lesion and co-located with macrophages and TUNEL positive reaction.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin over-expressed in human atherosclerosis: potential role in Th17 differentiation.

Background: Adaptive immunity plays a critical role in atherosclerosis and T helper 17 (Th17) cells, a new T-cell lineage, are recently reported to be involved in atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism underlying Th17 inflammation in atherosclerosis remains largely unknown. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a novel IL-7-like cytokine and mainly responsible for Th2 inflammation in many inflammatory diseases.