BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the association of both intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and endothelial cell adhesion molecule (E-selectin) polymorphisms using PCR technique and their role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. MATERIAL/METHODS The study enrolled 285 individuals, classified into 4 groups: 63 cerebrovascular atherosclerotic patients, 75 cardiovascular pa...

BACKGROUND The association between anthropometric parameters and atherosclerotic burden is not well established and few studies have addressed this issue. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of different anthropometric parameters with the coronary atherosclerotic burden. METHODS Adult patients undergoing coronary angiography were enrolled in the study. Sociodemographic characteristics and...

BACKGROUND Imaging modalities to assess atherosclerotic plaque thrombogenicity have not been established, so in this study the relationship between [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) uptake and thrombus formation was investigated in rabbit atherosclerotic arteries. METHODS AND RESULTS Atherosclerotic plaque was induced in the iliacofemoral artery by balloon injury and a 0.5% cholesterol d...

BACKGROUND Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) is considered a risk factor for progression of atherosclerotic disease. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) display signs of frequent CMV re-activation, which may be caused by the uraemia-associated defect in cellular immunity. The possible contribution of CMV seropositivity to the hugely increased risk for cardiovascular disease in patie...

AIMS Rupture-prone atherosclerotic plaques show an elevated temperature, but a molecular explanation for this phenomenon is unknown. Here, we investigated whether mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) could be involved because this protein is a macrophage homologue of thermogenin in brown fat tissue. METHODS AND RESULTS Immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and real-time quantitative po...

OBJECTIVE Platelet reactivity, platelet binding to monocytes and monocyte infiltration play a detrimental role in atherosclerotic plaque progression. We investigated whether platelet reactivity was associated with levels of circulating platelet-monocyte complexes (PMCs) and macrophages in human atherosclerotic carotid plaques. METHODS Platelet reactivity was determined by measuring platelet P...

The T cell receptor (TCR) β repertoire directly reflects the status of T cell function. Meanwhile, the immune/inflammatory responses regulated by T cells are the critical determinants of atherosclerosis development. However, due to technical limitations, the composition and molecular characteristics of the TCR repertoire in atherosclerotic patients have not been fully elucidated. In the present...

A diminished relaxant response of atherosclerotic arteries to nitrovasodilators has been frequently observed in advanced stages of hypercholesterolemia. In the present study, we investigated whether this effect might be a result of reduced activity of smooth muscle guanylyl cyclase. Experimental atherosclerosis was induced by feeding rabbits a cholesterol-rich diet (1%) over a period of 4 month...

OBJECTIVE ABCG1 has recently been identified as a facilitator of cholesterol and phospholipid efflux from macrophages to HDL. In bone marrow transplantation studies, we and others have now shown that the absence of macrophage ABCG1 may differentially influence atherosclerotic lesions dependent on the experimental setting and/or the stage of atherosclerotic lesion development. To further define ...

Prostacyclin synthase (PCS) is an enzyme with antithrombotic, antiproliferative, and dilatory functions in the normal vasculature, and inactivation of PCS by tyrosine nitration may favor atherosclerotic processes. Here, we show that PCS is nitrated and inactivated in early stage atherosclerotic lesions (focal intimal thickenings). Immunoprecipitation with antibodies raised against nitrotyrosine...