In the current study we show an attenuated up-regulation(i.e., decorin and lumican) and a more pronounced decrease (i.e., fibromodulin) inSLRP expression following AB in CXCR5 deficient mice as compared with WT mice.Interestingly, enhanced MMP activity has been found to impair SLRP function [44], and wesuggest that the combination of decreased SLRP expression and increased MMP activitycould be of major importance for the premature LV dilatation and HF inCXCR5−/− mice following AB. Here, CXCR5 is linked to Vascular dilatation.