RESUMO
Objective:To evaluate whether oral administration of heat shock protein60(HSP60) could induce immune tolerance and its effect on the progression of aortic atherosclerotic plaque in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein(apo) E-/-mice.Methods:8 week-old mice were divided into two groups that were orally administrated PBS plus HSP60 and only PBS separately for 5 days,and then a high-cholesterol diet was started 2 days after the last treatment for 12 weeks.Pathological analysis of plaque was performed,and percentage of CD4+CD25+regulatory T cells in the splenocytes was analyzed,proliferation response of the splenocytes to HSP60 was detected and cytokines in the superanant were measured.Results:Compared with control animals,oral tolerance to HSP60 resulted in a significant decrease of atherosclerotic plaques in size.Tolerance to HSP60 induced a significant increase of CD4+CD25+ cells in the spleen.Specific proliferation response of splenocytes to HSP60 was significantly suppressed and TGF-? in the superanant increased while IFN-? decreased significantly.Conclusion:HSP60 specific tolerance can be induced via oral administration of HSP60 which in turn attenuates progression of plaque.This provides a new immunologic approach for treatment of atherosclerosis.