Table 1.

Strategies developed in animals to expand athero-protective regulatory T cells. Apoe, Apolipoprotein e; CD: Cluster of Differentiation; DC, dendritic cells; FoxP3, Forkhead/winged helix transcription factor 3; G-CSF, Granulocyte- Colony-Stimulating Factor; HSP, Heat Shock Protein; IFN-γ: Interferon-γ; IL, InterLeukin; LAP, Latency-associated peptide; LDLr, Low Density Lipoprotein receptor; MDA-LDL, Malondialdehyde-LDL; TGF-β, Transforming growth factor- β; Th, T Helper; TNF-α, Tumor Necrosis Factor- α; Treg, regulatory T cell.

	Antigen	Route of Delivery	Species	Immune Effects	References
Antigen-specific induction	MDA-LDL Copper-oxidized LDL	Subcutaneous + Freund’s adjuvant	Rabbit	Increased auto-antibodies titers	[97,98]
	apoB-derived peptides	Subcutaneous	Apoe−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+ Tregs Decreased Th1 and Th2 signature	[101]
	apoB-derived peptides	Subcutaneous + Freund’s adjuvant	Apoe−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+ CCR5+Tregs Increased IL-10 production	[100]
	Ox- and MDA-LDL	Oral route	Ldlr−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+Tregs Increased TGF-β production	[102]
	apoB-derived peptide (aBp210)	Subcutaneous + Alum	Apoe−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+ CD25+ Tregs Decreased Th1 and Th2 signature	[104]
	ApoB100	Loaded on DC stimulated by IL-10	HuB100(tg) X Ldlr−/− mice	Decreased T effector proliferation Decreased Th1 signature	[91]
	HSP 60	Oral route	Ldlr−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+ CD25+Tregs Increased IL-10, TGF-β production	[103]
	ApoB100 peptide + HSP60 peptide + Chlamydophila pneumoniae peptide	Subcutaneous + Alum	Apobtm2Sgy Ldlr tm1Her J mice	Increased Foxp3+ CD4+ T cells Increased IL-10 and TGF-β production Decreased IFN-γ and TNF-α production	[105]
Non-antigen specific induction	Anti-CD3 alone or combined with IL-2	Intravenous	Ldlr−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+Tregs Decreased IFN-γ and TNF-α production	[106]
	Anti-CD3	Oral route	Apoe−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+Tregs Decreased Th1 and Th2 signature Increased TGF-β production	[107]
	G-CSF	Subcutaneous	Apoe−/− mice	Increased CD4+ CD25+Tregs	[108]
	vitamin D3	Oral route	Apoe−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+Tregs Decreased CD80+CD86+ DC Increased IL-10 production	[109]
	FTY720	Oral route	Apoe−/− mice	Increased LAP+Foxp3+ cells Decreased Th1 signature Increased TGF-β production	[110]
	Nucleoprotein of measles virus	Intraperitoneal	Apoe−/− mice	Decreased T effector proliferation Decreased Th1 signature Increased IL-10 production	[111]
	Low IL-2	Intravenous	Apoe−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+ CD25+ Tregs	[112]
		Intraperitoneal	Ldlr−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+ CD25+ Tregs Decreased Th1 and Th2 signature	[113]
		Intraperitoneal	Apoe−/− mice	Increased Foxp3+ CD25+ Tregs Decreased Th1, Th2, Th17 signature	[114]