Single-cell immune landscape of human atherosclerotic plaques

Using single-cell proteomic and transcriptomic analyses, we uncovered distinct features of both T cells and macrophages in carotid artery plaques of patients with clinically symptomatic disease (recent stroke or transient ischemic attack) compared to asymptomatic disease (no recent stroke). Additionally, macrophages from these plaques contained alternatively activated phenotypes, including subsets associated with plaque vulnerability. In plaques from asymptomatic patients, T cells and macrophages were activated and displayed evidence of interleukin-1β signaling. The identification of specific features of innate and adaptive immune cells in plaques that are associated with cerebrovascular events may enable the design of more precisely tailored cardiovascular immunotherapies. Carotid artery from atherosclerotic human samples, used scRNAseq to under the underlying immune molecular mechanism