Regulation of IL-17 in atherosclerosis and related autoimmunity

Patients with systemic autoimmune diseases exhibit a higher incidence of atherosclerosis. Conversely, hyperlipidemia has been known to accelerate autoimmune diseases in humans as well as in experimental animal. How atherosclerosis impacts autoimmunity remains poorly understood. Importantly, recent studies showed that several pro-atherogenic factors including cholesterol, oxidized low-density lipoprotein and fatty acids regulate the production of IL-17 and IL-17-promoting cytokines from innate and adaptive immune cells. Given that IL-17 is associated with a number of autoimmune diseases in humans, dissecting the mechanisms beyond the mutual regulation of pro-atherogenic factors and IL-17 might provide a novel pathophysiology between atherosclerosis and autoimmune diseases. In this review, we discuss our current understanding related to the role of pro-atherogenic factors in IL-17 production and autoimmune diseases.