Dr Andrew Sage

Understanding the pathogenic role of B cells in Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis, a major underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, is driven by lipid accumulation in the vascular wall. The chronic response to injury and invading immune response is complex, but understanding this is critical to identifying and treating the most vulnerable patients.

Trapped lipids and uncleared dying cells within atherosclerotic plaques are recognised by antibodies produced by the B cell system. I am trying to unravel the distinct roles of different types of antibodies as well as distinct functions of B cells now recognised to play important roles in adaptive immune responses. Beyond helping to understand the pathobiology of atherosclerosis, our studies also aim to better understand the causal links between autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disease. In particular, autoimmune diseases (and cancers) are already being treated with B cell depleting therapies for which the impacts on cardiovascular risk are only beginning to be understood.

Recently, our lab defined the direct overall contribution of endogenous antibodies to atherosclerosis in a fully immunocompetent model. Ongoing projects include understanding the role of specific types of B cell activation, the role of IgG receptors and the impact of targeting the BAFF family of B cell-regulating cytokines.