Aging promotes mast cell activation and antigen presenting capacity in atherosclerosis

• Published in: Cardiovascular research 2024-05, Vol.120 (Supplement_1)
• Main Authors: Depuydt, M A C, Smit, V, Schaftenaar, F H, Hemme, E, Delfos, L, Vlaswinkel, F D, Simpson, C, Kovanen, P T, Slutter, B, Kuiper, J, Bot, I, Foks, A C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0008-6363; 1755-3245
• DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvae088.201

Funding Acknowledgements  Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Dutch Heart Foundation Aging is an independent and dominant risk factor for atherosclerosis and is associated with a low-grade chronic inflammation termed inflammaging. This age-induced pro-inflammatory environment may have great impact on plaque-residing immune cells, including mast cells. Mast cells have been found to accumulate in the human atherosclerotic plaque upon disease progression and have been associated with plaque instability. However, it is currently unknown whether aging drives the pro-atherogenic effects of mast cells in atherosclerosis. To assess the effects of aging on mast cell phenotype, we examined mast cell populations in young and old male Ldlr-/- mice fed either a chow (CD) or Western-type (WD) diet. We observed a 6-fold increase in the number of mast cells in the aged atherosclerotic aorta compared to young (Y-CD: 4.5±0.7 vs. O-CD: 279.4±9 cells, p