Function of s100 protein in coronary atherosclerosis / Función de la proteína s100 en aterosclerosis coronaria

SUMMARY: Atherosclerosis is a complex disease whose pathogenesis includes endothelial activation, accumulation of lipids in the subendothelium, formation of foam cells, fat bands and formation of atherosclerotic plaque. These complex mechanisms involve different cell populations in the intimate sub-endothelium, and the S-100 protein family plays a role in a number of extracellular and intracellular processes during the development of atherosclerotic lesions. The aim of this study was to determine the phenotypic characteristics of smooth muscle cells and the consequent expression of S100 protein in atherosclerotic altered coronary arteries in advanced stages of atherosclerosis. 19 samples of right atherosclerotic coronary arteries in stages of fibro atheroma (type V lesion) and complicated lesions (type VI lesion) have been analyzed. According to the standard protocol, the following primary antibodies have been used in the immunohistochemical analysis: a-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), vimentin and S-100 protein. All analyzed samples have been in advanced stages of atherosclerosis, fibro atheroma (stage V lesions) and complicated lesions (type VI lesions). Most of them have had the structure of a complicated lesion with atheroma or fibro atheroma as a basis, subsequently complicated by disruption (subtype VI a), hemorrhage (subtype VI b) or thrombosis (subtype VI c), as well as by the presence of several complications on the same sample. Marked hypocellularity is present in the subendothelium of plaques. Cell population at plaque margins is characterized by immunoreactivity to α-SMA, vimentin, and S100 protein. Some of these cells accumulate lipids and look like foam cells. In the cell population at the margins of the plaques, smooth muscle cells of the synthetic phenotype are present, some of which accumulate lipids and demonstrate S100 immunoreactivity. Summarizing numerous literature data and our results, we could assume that smooth muscle cells, due to their synthetic and proliferative activity in the earlier stages of pathogenesis, as well as the consequent expression of S100 protein, could accumulate lipids in the earlier stages of atherosclerosis which, in advanced stages analyzed in this study, result in immunoreactivity of foam cells of smooth muscle origin to S100 protein.

RESUMEN: La aterosclerosis es una enfermedad compleja cuya patogenia incluye activación endotelial, acumulación de lípidos en el subendotelio, formación de células espumosas, bandas grasas y formación de placa aterosclerótica. Estos complejos mecanismos involucran diferentes poblaciones celulares en el subendotelio íntimo, y la familia de proteínas S-100 juega un papel en varios procesos extracelulares e intracelulares durante el desarrollo de lesiones ateroscleróticas. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar las características fenotípicas de las células de músculo liso y la consecuente expresión de la proteína S100 en arterias coronarias alteradas ateroscleróticas en estadios avanzados de aterosclerosis. Se analizaron 19 muestras de arterias coronarias ateroscleróticas derechas en estadios de fibroateroma (lesión tipo V) y lesiones complicadas (lesión tipo VI). Según el protocolo estándar, en el análisis inmunohistoquímico se utilizaron los siguientes anticuerpos primarios: α-actina de músculo liso (α-SMA), vimentina y proteína S-100. Todas las muestras analizadas han estado en estadios avanzados de aterosclerosis, fibroateroma (lesiones estadio V) y lesiones complicadas (lesiones tipo VI). La mayoría de ellos han tenido la estructura de una lesión complicada con ateroma o fibroateroma como base, complicada posteriormente por disrupción (subtipo VI a), hemorragia (subtipo VI b) o trombosis (subtipo VI c), así como por la presencia de varias complicaciones en la misma muestra. La hipocelularidad marcada estaba presente en el subendotelio de las placas. La población celular en los márgenes de la placa se caracterizaba por inmunorreactividad a α-SMA, vimentina y proteína S100. Algunas de estas células acumulan lípidos y parecen células espumosas. En la población celular en los márgenes de las placas, estaban presentes las células de músculo liso de fenotipo sintético, algunas de las cuales acumulaban lípidos y mostraban inmunorreactividad S100. Resumiendo numerosos datos de la literatura y nuestros resultados, podríamos suponer que las células del músculo liso, debido a su actividad sintética y proliferativa en las primeras etapas de la patogénesis, así como la consecuente expresión de la proteína S100, podrían acumular lípidos en las primeras etapas de la aterosclerosis que, en estadios avanzados analizados en este estudio, dan como resultado inmunorreactividad de células espumosas de origen muscular liso a la proteína S100.

CTA imaging features of myocardial bridge in the patients combined with atherosclerosis / 实用放射学杂志

Objective To study the characteristics of CT images of myocardial bridge(MB)in patients with atherosclerosis.Methods CTA images of MB in 129 patients with atherosclerosis were studied.Another 109 patients without atherosclerosis,in the diagnosis of MB were used as control.The type,age,thickness of MB,length of mural coronary artery and end systolic diameter of mural coronary artery were compared between the two groups.Results In the study group,78 cases (60.5%)were superficial type,51(39.5%) were deep type.While in the control group,70(64%)cases were superficial type and 39(36%)were deep type.There was no significant difference between the two groups.The age,thickness of MB,length of mural coronary artery and end systolic diameter of mural coronary artery in each group were 57.01±10.17 years old,(3.15±1.66)mm,(20.43±7.38)mm,(1.16±0.25)mm and 48.36±9.11 years old,(1.95±1.77)mm,(21.07±6.69)mm,(2.07±0.81)mm.These parameters had significant differences between the two groups except the length of mural coronary artery (P>0.05).Conclusion The MB of the study group is thicker than the control group,and the mural coronary artery diameter of the former is narrower than that of the latter.

Decreased plasma urotensin Ⅱ levels inversely correlate with extent and severity of coronary artery disease / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

Objective To determine the plasma urolensin Ⅱ(UⅡ) levels in various types of coronary heart disease and to clarify how the plasma UⅡ levels correlate with the clinical presentation, extent and severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis (CAD). Methods: One hundred and three aged patients undergoing elective diagnostic coronary angiography for proven or clinical suspected coronary heart disease were enrolled in this study. The extent and severity of coronary artery disease were evaluated by vessel score and Gensini score, respectively. Plasma UⅡ levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results: The plasma UⅡ levels in the patients with modest to severe coronary stenosis (3.03±0.34 pg/ml, 1.83±0.67 pg/ml) were significantly lower than that in subjects with normal coronary artery (4.80±1.11 pg/ml, P＜0.001). The plasma UⅡ levels in patients with coronary heart disease were also significantly lower than that in patients with insignificant coronary stenosis (P ＜ 0.001). Compared to patients with stable angina pectoris, plasma UⅡ levels in patients with acute coronary syndrome were significantly decreased (1.89±0.51 pg/ml vs 2.42±0.77 pg/ml, P＜ 0.001). Plasma UⅡ levels were found to be negatively correlated with the severity of coronary artery stenosis (r = -0.488, P＜0.001), as well as the vessel score (r = -0.408, P＜0.05) in the patients with CAD. Conclusion: Significant inverse correlations exist between the plasma UⅡ levels, and the extent and severity of coronary artery stenosis. These findings suggest that plasma UⅡ contribute to the development and progression of coronary artery stenosis, and may be a novel marker to predict clinical types, as well as the extent and severity of coronary artery disease in the patients.

Relationship between sES、MMP-9 and coronary artery dilation / 基础医学与临床

Objective To investigate the relationship between inflammatory factors, coronary artery dilation, and their clinical significance. Methods The cases undergone coronary angiography in our hospital last year were collected and divided into three groups: the first one included 11 patients whose angiography showed coronary artery dilation, the second group included 35 cases of atherosclerosis, and the third includes 24 cases with normal angiography. sES, MMP9 and TIMP1 were measured by ELISA method. Results Patients with coronary artery dilation were found to have significantly higher sES and MMP-9 level in comparison with atherosclerosis group and normal group[(153.7?152.7)ng/L,(90.1?54.2)ng/L,(76.5?37.2)ng/L, respectively](P

High Aortic Stiffness Assessed by Pulse Wave Velocity is an Independent Predictor of Coronary Artery Calcification and Stenosis in Suspected Coronary Artery Disease Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality and of all other causes in hypertensive patients. The object of this study was to investigate whether aortic stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV), could be used as an independent predictor for detecting coronary artery atherosclerosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: PWV was measured by an invasive method. All patients (n=187, M/F= 77/110) were suspected as having the coronary artery disease (CAD) and underwent coronary angiography. CAD was classified as that with or without calcification and stenosis and was classified by the calcification segments and stenotic vessel numbers. RESULTS: Coronary artery calcification was significantly associated with diabetes mellitus (p<0.001), the waist/hip circumference ratio (p=0.012), hypertension (p=0.002), age (p<0.001) and PWV (p<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that coronary artery calcification was highly associated with age (OR=1.052, p=0.023) and PWV (OR=1.213, p<0.001). Significant coronary artery stenosis was associated with hypertension (p=0.002), diabetes mellitus (p=0.015), age (p=0.004), waist/hip circumference ratio (p=0.019), systolic blood pressure (p=0.007), pulse pressure (p=0.016), low density lipoprotein levels (p=0.004) and PWV (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that PWV (OR=1.370, p<0.001) and low density lipoprotein levels (OR=1.022, p=0.006) were the best predictors of coronary artery stenosis. Patients with severe coronary atheosclerosis exhibited a greater increased aortic PWV. CONCLUSION: A high aortic PWV is an independent marker for coronary artery stenosis and calcification in suspected CAD patients. The aortic PWV could be used as an independent predictor for ischemic heart disease in patients with suspected CAD.