Stimulation of pDCs leads to an increase of macrophages present in plaques. However, during later stages of lesion progression, pDCs have been shown to have a protective effect by activating T cells and Treg function; leading to disease suppression.
The activation of pDCs results in an increase in the number of macrophages present in lesions. Nevertheless, as the disease progresses, pDCs have been found to play a crucial role in protecting against disease by stimulating T cells and enhancing Treg function, ultimately leading to disease control.