Figure.

Monocyte subsets in atherosclerosis. Human monocytes are classified as classical (CD14++CD16-; high CCR2 and low CX3CR1 expression), intermediate (CD14++CD16+), and non-classical (CD14+CD16++; no CCR2 and high CX3CR1 expression). Classical CD14++CD16- monocytes are increased by high fat diet and are rapidly recruited to atherosclerosis (via CCR2 and CX3CR1) whereas non classical CD14+CD16++ patrol the endothelium and are more slowly recruited to lesions (via CX3CR1 and CCR5). Whether specific monocyte subsets preferentially differentiate to macrophage subtypes, foam cells or dendritic cells is uncertain. Thus their specific roles in atherosclerosis progression, lesion stability and plaque rupture, and ultimately clinical events are uncertain. Berg et al¹⁹ report that the classical CD14++CD16- subset are independent predictors of incident cardiovascular events