A novel triple-cell two-dimensional model to study immune vascular interplay in atherosclerosis

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a complex inflammatory pathology underpinning cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which are the leading cause of death worldwide. The interplay between vascular stromal cells and immune cells is fundamental to the progression and outcome of atherosclerotic disease, however, the majority of in vitro studies do not consider the implications of these interactions and predominantly use mono-culture approaches. Here we present a simple and robust methodology involving the co-culture of vascular endothelial (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) alongside an inflammatory compartment, in our study containing THP-1 macrophages, for studying these complex interactions. Using this approach..