Response to Letter Regarding Article, “Mitochondrial DNA Damage Can Promote Atherosclerosis Independently of Reactive Oxygen Species Through Effects on Smooth Muscle Cells and Monocytes and Correlates With Higher-Risk Plaques in Humans”

We welcome the opportunity to respond to comments from Drs Stocker and Maghzal on our article.1 Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) occur in human atherosclerosis in many cell types, and multiple experimental manipulations (predominantly in mice) suggest that ROS promote atherosclerosis. Because mitochondria are an important source of ROS that could be amplified by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage, the concept has arisen that mtDNA damage...