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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Nov 26.
Published in final edited form as: Circulation. 2009 May 11;119(20):2708–2717. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.823740

Figure 7. A model for the involvement of CD11c in atherogenesis in hypercholesterolemia.

Figure 7

In severe hypercholesterolemia, uptake of ox-LDL by circulating monocytes (through scavenger receptors and undefined pathways) activates monocytes, and drives CD11c--to-CD11c+ monocyte differentiation, forming CD11c+ “foamy monocytes.” These CD11c+ “foamy monocytes” express high levels of VLA-4 and CD11b, and adhere efficiently to ECs through interactions of CD11c and VLA-4 with VCAM-1 on activated ECs, thereby playing an active role in development of atherosclerosis and xanthomas associated with severe hypercholesterolemia.