The Ley lab studies atherosclerosis, the pathomechanism underlying most cardiovascular disease. We focus on the adaptive immune system. We work on the autoimmune aspect of atherosclerosis, mainly on the CD4 and CD8 T cell responses.
Klaus Ley, M.D.
Founding Co-Director, Immunology Center of Georgia (IMMCG)
Georgia Research Alliance Bradley Turner Eminent Scholar in Immunology
Professor, Department of Physiology
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
The lab uses human samples from patients with the disease we study: cardiovascular disease including coronary artery disease. Major methods we use:
Immunology Center of Georgia (IMMCG)
Health Sciences Campus
Georgia Cancer Center - M. Bert Storey Research Building
1410 Laney Walker Blvd, CN2119
706-446-0296
Anusha Bellapu
India
Michael Nakama, MS
United States of America
Pei Xiong Liew, PhD
Singapore
Mikhail Fomin, MSc
United States of America
Smriti Parashar, PhD
India
Sunil Kumar, Ph.D.
India
Yan Wang, PhD
China
Megh Mehta
United States of America
Aderonke Fakayode
Nigeria
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Tertiary lymphoid organs in human atherosclerotic plaques: AtherosclerosisGosavi, D. & Ley, K., May 2025, In:Nature Cardiovascular Research. 4, 5, p. 500-502 3 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Comment/debate›peer-review |
Nanoscopy reveals integrin clustering reliant on kindlin-3 but not talin-1Wu, Y., Cao, Z., Liu, W., Cahoon, J. G., Wang, K., Wang, P., Hu, L., Chen, Y., Moser, M., Vella, A. T., Ley, K., Wen, L. & Fan, Z., Dec 2025, In:Cell Communication and Signaling. 23, 1, 12.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
PD-1 and CD73 on naive CD4+T cells synergistically limit responses to selfNettersheim, F. S., Brunel, S., Sinkovits, R. S., Armstrong, S. S., Roy, P., Billitti, M., Kobiyama, K., Alimadadi, A., Bombin, S., Lu, L., Zoccheddu, M., Oliaeimotlagh, M., Benedict, C. A., Sette, A. & Ley, K., Jan 2025, In:Nature Immunology. 26, 1, p. 105-115 11 p., 812769.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Olfr2-positive macrophages originate from monocytes proliferate in situ and present a pro-inflammatory foamy-like phenotypeSuthahar, S. S. A., Nettersheim, F. S., Alimadadi, A., Wang, E., Billitti, M., Resto-Trujillo, N., Roy, P., Hedrick, C., Ley, K.& Orecchioni, M., Sep 1 2024, In:Cardiovascular Research. 120, 13, p. 1577-1589 13 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Editorial: Adaptive immunity in atherosclerosisSlütter, B. & Ley, K., 2024, In:Frontiers in immunology. 15, 1440283.Research output:Contribution to journal›Editorial›peer-review |
Mild Hypoxia Accelerates Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Disease Through CX3CR1-CX3CL1 SignalingFrias-Anaya, E., Gallego-Gutierrez, H., Gongol, B., Weinsheimer, S., Lai, C. C., Orecchioni, M., Sriram, A., Bui, C. M., Nelsen, B., Hale, P., Pham, A., Shenkar, R., Debiasse, D., Lightle, R., Girard, R., Li, Y., Srinath, A., Daneman, R., Nudleman, E. & Sun, H. & 8 others, , Jun 1 2024, In:Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. 44, 6, p. 1246-1264 19 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Identification of apolipoprotein B–reactive CDR3 motifs allows tracking of atherosclerosis-related memory CD4+T cells in multiple donorsRoy, P., Suthahar, S. S. A., Makings, J. & Ley, K., 2024, In:Frontiers in immunology. 15, 1302031.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Immunotherapy for atherosclerosis by targeting pro-inflammatory T cellsKhan, A. & Ley, K., Jul 2024, In:Cell Research. 34, 7, p. 467-468 2 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Dysregulated cellular metabolism in atherosclerosis: mediators and therapeutic opportunitiesStroope, C., Nettersheim, F. S., Coon, B., Finney, A. C., Schwartz, M. A., Ley, K., Rom, O. & Yurdagul, A., Apr 2024, In:Nature Metabolism. 6, 4, p. 617-638 22 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Review article›peer-review |
Immune profiling and tracking of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides in cells and tissuesGazzi, A., Fusco, L., Orecchioni, M., Keshavan, S., Shin, Y., Grivel, J. C., Rinchai, D., Ahmed, E. I., Elhanani, O., Furesi, G., Rauner, M., Keren, L., Ley, K., Casiraghi, C., Bedognetti, D., Fadeel, B. & Delogu, L. G., Feb 2024, In:Nano Today. 54, 102084.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Single Cell High Dimensional Analysis of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Reveals Unique Intermediate Monocyte Subsets Associated with Sex Differences in Coronary Artery DiseaseChatterjee, N., Komaravolu, R. K., Durant, C. P., Wu, R., McSkimming, C., Drago, F., Kumar, S., Valentin-Guillama, G., Miller, Y. I., McNamara, C. A., Ley, K., Taylor, A., Alimadadi, A. & Hedrick, C. C., Mar 2024, In:International journal of molecular sciences. 25, 5, 2894.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Breaking tolerance: the autoimmune aspect of atherosclerosisKhan, A., Roy, P. & Ley, K., Sep 2024, In:Nature Reviews Immunology. 24, 9, p. 670-679 10 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Single-cell profiling of CD11c+ B cells in atherosclerosisPattarabanjird, T., Srikakulapu, P., Ransegnola, B., Marshall, M. A., Ghosheh, Y., Gulati, R., Durant, C., Drago, F., Taylor, A. M., Ley, K.& McNamara, C. A., 2023, In:Frontiers in immunology. 14, 1296668.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Single cell transcriptomics reveals recent CD8T cell receptor signaling in patients with coronary artery diseaseIqneibi, S., Saigusa, R., Khan, A., Oliaeimotlagh, M., Armstrong Suthahar, S. S., Kumar, S., Alimadadi, A., Durant, C. P., Ghosheh, Y., McNamara, C. A., Hedrick, C. C.& Ley, K., 2023, In:Frontiers in immunology. 14, 1239148.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Cell-autonomous regulation of complement C3 by factor H limits macrophage efferocytosis and exacerbates atherosclerosisKiss, M. G., Papac-Miličević, N., Porsch, F., Tsiantoulas, D., Hendrikx, T., Takaoka, M., Dinh, H. Q., Narzt, M. S., Göderle, L., Ozsvár-Kozma, M., Schuster, M., Fortelny, N., Hladik, A., Knapp, S., Gruber, F., Pickering, M. C., Bock, C., Swirski, F. K., Ley, K.& Zernecke, A. & 4 others, , Aug 8 2023, In:Immunity. 56, 8, p. 1809-1824.e10Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Single-cell profiling reveals inflammatory polarization of human carotid versus femoral plaque leukocytesSlysz, J., Sinha, A., DeBerge, M., Singh, S., Avgousti, H., Lee, I., Glinton, K., Nagasaka, R., Dalal, P., Alexandria, S., Wai, C. M., Tellez, R., Vescovo, M., Sunderraj, A., Wang, X., Schipma, M., Sisk, R., Gulati, R., Vallejo, J. & Saigusa, R. & 8 others, , 2023, In:JCI Insight. 8, 17, e171359.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Mast cells must stickLyu, Q., Wang, Y. & Ley, K., Aug 2023, In:Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 114, 2, p. 109-110 2 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Editorial›peer-review |
Author Correction: Human circulating CD24himarginal zone B cells produce IgM targeting atherogenic antigens and confer protection from vascular disease (Nature Cardiovascular Research, (2023), 2, 11, (1003-1014), 10.1038/s44161-023-00356-1)Pattarabanjird, T., Nguyen, A. T., McSkimming, C., Dinh, H. Q., Marshall, M. A., Ghosheh, Y., Gulati, R., Durant, C., Vallejo, J., Saigusa, R., Drago, F., Guy, T. V., Premo, K., Taylor, A. M., Paul, S., Kundu, B., Berr, S., Gonen, A., Tsimikas, S. & Miller, Y. & 4 others, , Dec 2023, In:Nature Cardiovascular Research. 2, 12, p. 1328 1 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Comment/debate›peer-review |
Chemokine Receptor Activation Enhances Memory B Cell Class Switching Linked to IgE Sensitization to Alpha Gal and Cardiovascular DiseasePattarabanjird, T., Wilson, J. M., Erickson, L. D., Workman, L. J., Qiao, H., Ghosheh, Y., Gulati, R., Durant, C., Vallejo, J., Saigusa, R., Platts-Mills, T. A. E., Taylor, A. M., Ley, K.& McNamara, C. A., 2021, In:Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 8, 791028.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE) Deficiency Does Not Affect Atherosclerosis and CD4 T Cell Immune Tolerance to Apolipoprotein BNettersheim, F. S., Braumann, S., Kobiyama, K., Orecchioni, M., Vassallo, M., Miller, J., Ali, A., Roy, P., Saigusa, R., Wolf, D., Ley, K.& Winkels, H., 2021, In:Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 8, 812769.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Human circulating CD24himarginal zone B cells produce IgM targeting atherogenic antigens and confer protection from vascular diseasePattarabanjird, T., Nguyen, A. T., McSkimming, C., Dinh, H. Q., Marshall, M. A., Ghosheh, Y., Gulati, R., Durant, C., Vallejo, J., Saigusa, R., Drago, F., Guy, T. V., Premo, K., Taylor, A. M., Paul, S., Kundu, B., Berr, S., Gonen, A., Tsimikas, S. & Miller, Y. & 4 others, , Nov 2023, In:Nature Cardiovascular Research. 2, 11, p. 1003-1014 12 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Identification of human exTregcells as CD16+CD56+cytotoxic CD4+T cellsFreuchet, A., Roy, P., Armstrong, S. S., Oliaeimotlagh, M., Kumar, S., Orecchioni, M., Ali, A. J., Khan, A., Makings, J., Lyu, Q., Winkels, H., Wang, E., Durant, C., Ghosheh, Y., Gulati, R., Nettersheim, F. & Ley, K., Oct 2023, In:Nature Immunology. 24, 10, p. 1748-1761 14 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Single cell transcriptomics and TCR reconstruction reveal CD4 T cell response to MHC-II-restricted APOB epitope in human cardiovascular diseaseSaigusa, R., Roy, P., Freuchet, A., Gulati, R., Ghosheh, Y., Armstrong Suthahar, S. S., Durant, C. P., Hanna, D. B., Kiosses, W. B., Orecchioni, M., Wen, L., Wu, R., Kuniholm, M. H., Landay, A. L., Anastos, K., Tien, P. C., Gange, S. J., Kassaye, S., Vallejo, J. & Hedrick, C. C. & 5 others, , May 2022, In:Nature Cardiovascular Research. 1, 5, p. 462-475 14 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Pairing of single-cell RNA analysis and T cell antigen receptor profiling indicates breakdown of T cell tolerance checkpoints in atherosclerosisWang, Z., Zhang, X., Lu, S., Zhang, C., Ma, Z., Su, R., Li, Y., Sun, T., Li, Y., Hong, M., Deng, X., Rafiee Monjezi, M., Hristov, M., Steffens, S., Santovito, D., Dornmair, K., Ley, K., Weber, C., Mohanta, S. K. & Habenicht, A. J. R. & 1 others, , Mar 2023, In:Nature Cardiovascular Research. 2, 3, p. 290-306 17 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Integrated single-cell analysis-based classification of vascular mononuclear phagocytes in mouse and human atherosclerosisZernecke, A., Erhard, F., Weinberger, T., Schulz, C., Ley, K., Saliba, A. E. & Cochain, C., Jun 1 2023, In:Cardiovascular Research. 119, 8, p. 1676-1689 14 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
V4C3MXene Immune Profiling and Modulation of T Cell-Dendritic Cell Function and InteractionFusco, L., Gazzi, A., Shuck, C. E., Orecchioni, M., Ahmed, E. I., Giro, L., Zavan, B., Yilmazer, A., Ley, K., Bedognetti, D., Gogotsi, Y. & Delogu, L. G., Aug 18 2023, In:Small Methods. 7, 8, 2300197.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
HIV infection and cardiovascular disease have both shared and distinct monocyte gene expression features: Women’s Interagency HIV studyLin, J., Ehinger, E., Hanna, D. B., Qi, Q., Wang, T., Ghosheh, Y., Mueller, K., Anastos, K., Lazar, J. M., Mack, W. J., Tien, P. C., Berman, J. W., Cohen, M. H., Ofotokun, I., Gange, S., Liu, C., Heath, S. L., Tracy, R. P., Hodis, H. N. & Landay, A. L. & 2 others, , May 2023, In:PloS one. 18, 5 May, e0285926.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
How Lymphatic Endothelial Cells Destabilize Regulatory T CellsLyu, Q. & Ley, K., Feb 1 2023, In:Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. 43, 2, p. 215-217 3 p.Research output:Contribution to journal›Editorial›peer-review |
Single-cell transcriptomes and T cell receptors of vaccine-expanded apolipoprotein B-specific T cellsNettersheim, F. S., Ghosheh, Y., Winkels, H., Kobiyama, K., Durant, C., Armstrong, S. S., Brunel, S., Roy, P., Dileepan, T., Jenkins, M. K., Zajonc, D. M. & Ley, K., Jan 5 2023, In:Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 9, 1076808.Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
Kindlin2 enables EphB/ephrinB bi-directional signaling to support vascular developmentLi, W., Wen, L., Rathod, B., Gingras, A. C., Ley, K.& Lee, H. S., Mar 1 2023, In:Life Science Alliance. 6, 3Research output:Contribution to journal›Article›peer-review |
