M1 macrophages act as LTβR-independent lymphoid tissue inducer cells during atherosclerosis-related lymphoid neogenesis

These results are the first to identify M1 macrophages as inducer cells that trigger the expression of chemokines by VSMCs independently of LTβR signalling. We propose that the dialogue between macrophages and VSMCs-established across the vascular wall-contributes to the formation of aortic TLOs.