T lymphocytes and aortic aneurysms

Aortic aneurysms are common and life threatening problems with high rates of death. The initiation and progression of aneurysms are characterized by extensive extracellular matrix degradation and immune cells invasion within arterial wall. During the pathogenesis of all aneurysms, inflammation and immune cells play a significant role. Although T cells are abundant in aneurysm tissue, their functions in initiation and propagation of aneurysms remain unclear. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of T lymphocytes on this disease and focuses on potential mechanisms of specific T cell responses.