In contrast, an aggravated atherosclerotic lesion formation was observed in Flt3-/-Ldlr-/- mice in the aortic sinus and aorta, and it was postulated that CD103+ in the aorta protect from atherosclerosis through a Treg-dependent mechanisms, given reduced frequencies of this protective T cell subset in vascular tissue as well as in lymph nodes and spleen [14]. Here, FLT3 is linked to atherosclerosis.