ABSTRACT
Apoptosis and cell adhesion molecules are implicated in many cardiovascular diseases such as: coronary artery diseases [CAD], atherosclerosis, heart failure and cardiomyopathy. In this study, we compared between twenty human myocardial samples of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy [IDCM] ineluding males and females] and a similar number of ischemie cardiomyopathy [ISCM]. Samples were cut frozen and examined after staining with imm uno-peroxidase technique to detect intercellular adhesion molecule [ICAM-1], Vascular cell adhesion molecule [VCAM-1] and P-Selectin and the TUNEL technique to detect apoptosis. Tissues samples were taken at the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University [Atlanta - GA. USA]. Stained sections were analyzed by computerized image analysis. Sections of IDCM showed greater nuclear and cellular diameters of their myocytes than ISCM. Cytoplasmic spaces were more frequent in ISCM. Apoptosis and VCAM-1 expression were sagnificantly higher in ISCM than in IDCM [P < 0.001]. ICAM-1 expression was also higher in ISCM but statistically insignificant [p values = 2.66]. On the other hand, the expression of p-selectin was higher in IDCM [P value = 0.01]. The results signify a higher role of apoptosis. VCAM- I and ICAM-1 in ISCM. It also showed that P-selectin have a higher role in IDCM. We hope that these data can be utilized in the diagnosis and treatment in both diseases