- 作者：Alberto Zambon ; Massimo Puato ; Elisabetta Faggin ; Franco Grego ; Marcello Rattazzi ; Paolo Pauletto
- 关键词：Carotid plaque ; Inflammation ; Macrophages ; LDL density ; Lipoprotein remnants ; Non-HDL-C
- 刊名：Atherosclerosis
- 出版年：2013
- 出版时间：September, 2013
- 年：2013
- 卷：230
- 期：1
- 页码：106-109
- 全文大小：252 K
Objective
We investigated the association between cholesterol across the LDL density range and in the VLDL and IDL particles with the prevalence of inflammatory cells in plaques of patients with severe carotid artery stenosis.Methods
Forty-five patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were studied. Plaque specimens were analyzed for cellular composition by immunocytochemistry using monoclonal antibodies. Lipoprotein subclasses were separated by gradient ultracentrifugation.
Results
We found no correlations between LDL-C, HDL-C and plasma triglyceride levels with plaque cellular composition. On the other hand, macrophage content was significantly related to cholesterol in the dense LDL subclasses (r?=?0.30, p?<?0.01) and in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants, namely dense VLDL and IDL particles (r?=?0.46, p?<?0.01). HDL subclasses were not correlated with plaque cellular composition. In a mirror manner, smooth muscle cells were inversely associated with cholesterol levels of the dense LDL subclasses (r?=??0.32, p?<?0.01 fraction 10; r?=??0.26, p?<?0.05 fraction 11) while only a non-significant trend was observed with the cholesterol in the VLDL-IDL fractions. These results provide the pathophysiological background to account for the relevance of non-HDL-C as the only lipid parameter, aside LDL density, significantly associated (¦Â?=?0.351, p?=?0.021) with carotid plaque macrophage content.
Conclusions
We provide evidence that lipoprotein subclasses, specifically cholesterol in the dense LDL fractions and in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnants, significantly affect carotid plaque cellular composition, in particular macrophages content.